हिमाचल कैबिनेट meeting

By Vijyender Sharma
SHIMLA---Himachal Pradesh Government has been implementing Market Intervention Scheme for Mango producers with a view to ensure minimum price in the terminal markets for their produce and save their exploitation at the hands of middlemen. Cabinet in its meeting held here today decided to procure ‘seedling’ and ‘grafted’ varieties of mango fruits @ Rs. 4.58 and @ Rs. 5.25 per kg. respectively during the period from July 1 to August, 15, 2010. HPMC, HIMFED and HP Agro Industries Corporation have been designated as procurement agencies. 34 fruit procurement centres will be made functional in different mango growing belts and more centres shall be considered for opening on demand basis. Procurement agencies shall be entitled to get Rs. 1.30 per kg. as handling charges.

Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, presided over the Meeting.

Permission has been granted by the Cabinet for setting up of Pithead Power Plant by Himachal EMTA Power Limited (HEPL) a joint venture of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) and Eastern Minerals & Trading Agency (EMTA), on getting a coal pithead allocated by the Union Ministry of Coal in West Bengal, to generate 660 MW thermal power by investing about Rs. 4,000 crore over the project. The proposed Plant will supplement the hydro power generation potential under exploitation in the State and meet increasing demand of power consumers.

It granted approval for starting of efficient ambulance services under Emergency Medical Response and Transport System for the benefit of prospective mothers and patients and enter into PPP Agreement with the Emergency Management and Research Institute, Hyderabad.

It consented for filling up of 187 posts of different categories in the Technical and Vocational Education Department out of which posts of clerks and class IV shall be filled up from the surplus pool created by the State Government.

It sanctioned 25 posts of teaching and non-teaching categories for setting up of Himachal Pradesh Technical University.

Permission has been granted to start two additional courses during next academic session, 2010-11, in Civil Engineering and Electronics and Communication Engineering courses in Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Engineering College, Sundernagar, and sanctioned creation of 10 posts of different teaching and non-teaching categories.
Cabinet approved amendment in Rule 69-A of Himachal Pradesh Motor Vehicles Rules, 1999, deleting category ‘Goods Carriages’ from the regime of composite fee prescribed in the State Rules. Under the New National Permit Scheme truck owners shall be required to deposit permit fee of Rs. 15,000 with respective Regional Transport Officer and transport goods all over the country, instead of three states permitted earlier, for one year without any hassle. There is provision of depositing permit fee in cash or online.

It decided to amend the Hydro Power Policy, 2006, to make it more flexible and facilitating to the small hydro power producers.

It granted permission to expand the jurisdiction by of Municipal Councils/Nagar Panchayats of Mandi, Solan, Palampur, Nahan, Nalagarh, Sarkaghat, Rewalsar and Arki to bring urbanising villages under its control.

It decided to make functional Primary Health Centres at Chhatri in district Mandi and Naina Tikkar in district Sirmour.

It approved leasing out of government land to Rural Self-Employment Training Institutes (RSETI) operated by Committees constituted by the Banks under Rural Development Department in the districts of Mandi, Kullu and Una on a token lease of Re. 1.00 per annum for 33 years.

It also approved amendment in the Transport Policy-2004 to carry rationalization of the uneconomic routes being operated by Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation.

It approved Himachal Pradesh Electricity (Duty) Amendment Ordinance, 2010.

Scholarship date extended for students of Minority Community
By Vijyender Sharma
SHIMLA---The last date for scholarship for students of minority community for post and pre matric and Merit cum means has been extended by Social Justice and Empowerment Department till 15th August, 2010. Earlier, the last date for receiving merit scholarship forms was 31st July, 2010.

The deserving candidates may apply on the prescribed format to be sent to Director, Social Justice and Empowerment by 15th August, 2010.

For detailed information about the eligibility they can visit the website of Ministry of Minorities, Government of India www.minorityaffair.gov.in. The sanctioned scholarships for 2009-10 are also available on www.himachal.nic.in/welfare.

By Vijyender Sharma
SHIMLA---Himachal Pradesh State Forest Corporation, sold 1,03,672 cubic meters of timber wood and generated an income of Rs. 108 crore during financial year 2009-2010. This was disclosed by Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, in the 164th Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corporation held here under his Chairmanship, today.

Chief Minister said that HP State Forest Corporation was the centralized agency of the State Government and was assigned the job of providing timber to the people at reasonable costs for house construction and other allied purposes, since the felling of green trees had completely been banned in the State. He said that the Corporation had carried a business of Rs. 160.29 crore during financial year ending on March 31, 2010, which was 18.5 percent more as compared to preceding financial year of 2008-09 when it had a turn over of Rs. 135.16 crore. He said that there were six ‘Hikashtha’, wholesale depots and 41 other retail timber sale depots in different parts of the State, which had stocked sufficient timber to meet the local demand of the people. He said that the Corporation was supplying quality timber to the consumers. He said Shimla depot had sold timber worth Rs. 1.16 crore and the sale was likely to touch Rs. 1.50 crore during current financial year.

Prof. Dhumal said that the Corporation had also been carrying business in resin and turpentine and a business of Rs. 43.65 crore was carried during the year ending on March 31, 2010, while it was Rs. 32.45 crore during preceding financial year, thereby registering an increase of 34.51 percent. He said that resin prices had increased from Rs. 42 per litre on 1st April, 2009 to Rs. 74.50 per litre by the end of preceding financial year and similarly the turpentine price which was Rs. 55 per litre on 1st April, 2009 had also increased to Rs. 69 per litre. He said that there had been enhancement of business in resin and turpentine in Bilaspur Depot by 16 percent and Nahan Depot by 23.5 percent. He said that State had vast potential of resin, which was being extracted with ecological safeguards in a scientific manner by the skilled manpower so that the natural growth of pine trees was not disturbed. He said that the Corporation would be setting up its unit at Kullu to manufacture door and window panes with quality timber and meet the requirement of consumers. He said that the State Government was concerned of its environment protection and no anti-environment activities were tolerated in any manner. He said that forests were the most valuable wealth of the State, which had to be protected not only for the ecological balancing but for sustenance of all living beings.

Chief Minister said that the Corporation had endeavoured diversification of its activities and developed two eco-tourism units at Narkanda and Jalori in order to provide nature lovers an opportunity of staying in close proximity with the natural environment and generate income for the organization. He said that about Rs. 10 lakh had been earned by both the units and were gaining popularity with the nature lovers. He said that additionally timber treatment unit was being set up at Jhaniari in district Hamirpur and Baijnath in district Kangra. He also said that the control of Pangi Unit of the Corporation had been transferred from Kullu to Chamba Forest Division of the Corporation. He said that objective of creating public sector undertakings was to generate economic activities through competitive business and earn maximum profit besides meeting the recurring expenses of the organization. He emphasized the need for change in mental set up and adopt strict commercial attitude focusing activities on profit earning. He advised the Corporation Management to further diversify their activities and compete in the open market to build credibility and business for the organization.

Shri R.K.Gupta, Managing Director of HP State Forest Corporation, welcomed the Chief Minister and carried proceedings of the Meeting, apprising him of the targets and achievements during preceding financial year.

Shri Avay Shukla, Additional Chief Secretary Forests, Shri Ajay Tyagi, Principal Secretary Finance, Dr. Vinay Tandon, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Shri Yash Pal Singh Rana, Shri Ram Saran Kalta, Shri Shri Ram Sharma and Shri Des Raj Rana, non-official Members of the Board and other senior officers were present in the meeting.