Sep 2013 Himachal Current Affair...

 
Sep 2, 2013
Forest Minister writes to Centre against Seli power project 
Udaipur (Lahaul-Spiti), September 1
The fate of the 400-MW Seli hydropower project on the Chenab here has run into rough weather. Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri has written to Jayanthi Natrajan, Union Minister for Environment and Forests (MOEF), saying the project "will destroy more than 2 lakh trees in the eco-sensitive zone". 

Top international biker to race at MTB Himalaya

Shimla, September 1
One of the toughest mountain biking rally of the world, Hercules MTB Himalaya-2013, received a big boost with Ricardo Rodrigues Martins, three-time champion of Portugal and ranked 16th in the world, confirmed his participation in the week-long event scheduled to start on September 27. 

Sep 4, 2013

Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur

Minister seeks Rs 325 cr for saving forests

Shimla, September 3
Forest Minister Thakur Singh Bharmauri has urged the Centre to release its due share of Rs 325 crore under the Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) Fund to the state.

Villagers make coal from pine needles, weeds

Mandi, September 3
Women self-help groups (SHGs) in remote villages of Lot Bhanwas and Chauri Thatchi in Seraj have started making coal from pine needles, weeds like congress grass and waste foliage under the Rural Innovation Scheme being funded by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
The Mandi Saksharta and Jan Vikas Samiti (MSJVS) implemented the energy-saving project in the district on an experiment basis. It has set up two coal-making machines at the two villages and trained villagers, mainly women, in making coal from pine needles and waste leaves.
 “The coal is smoke-free and can be used for cooking and keeping warm in winters”.
“This coal can be made by using 95 per cent pine needles, waste leaves, congress grass and other weeds by mixing it with cow dung or soil,” he said. “One quintal of the material generates 25 kg of coal. The machine runs on a low voltage and weighs 75 kg,” “One kg of coal lasts for three hours and is not hazardous as it has little carbon dioxide,” 

Encroachers rob Solang valley of its beauty

Solang Nallah (Manali), September 3
Encroachers, who run stalls here on either side of the approach road of the south portal of the 8.82-km Rohtang tunnel, have ruined the face of the ski resort, a major sight-seeing and paragliding hub for tourists visiting Manali.

Board concerned over depleting tea lands in Kangra
The area under tea in the Kangra valley is getting squeezed year after year following the large-scale sale of tea gardens, shortage of labour, non-availability of subsidy on fertilisers, inputs and other assistance from the state government.
Union Commerce Minister had also fixed a target to enhance the area under tea cultivation from 2,390 hectares to 7,600 hectares
The report said of the 2,390 hectares area under tea in the valley, only in 800 hectares was under actual tea cultivation. Growers had abandoned over 1,400 hectares under tea, while in 22 hectares, tea land had been converted into concrete jungles.

BOOKS
"Maum ke Pighalte Bol" written by Tej Ram Sharma

Sep 5, 2013       

The Cabinet enhanced the honorarium of freedom fighters from Rs 7,500 to Rs 10,000 per month from September 1, 2013, onwards.

Jangi-Thopan-Powari Hydroelectric Project- is located in Kinnaur Distt

Helicopter service for Manimahesh launched

The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has given approval to two private operators to start helicopter services from Bharmour to Gauri Kund (4,000 m) just 2-3 km below the sacred Manimahesh Lake at an altitude of 4,170 m for the facility of pilgrims and devotees of Lord Shiva as well as tourists.

Sep 9, 2013

Centre’s sop for HP: Capital investment subsidy extended

Shimla, September 8
Union Commerce and Industries Minister Anand Sharma on Sunday announced continuation of capital investment subsidy and transport subsidy to Himachal Pradesh, sanctioned new projects involving an investment of over Rs 170 crore and granted in-principle approval to seven more projects worth about Rs 165 crore.

The capital investment subsidy to the state, which expired on January 7 this year, would now continue till March 31, 2017, and a new more liberal scheme would replace the existing transport subsidy scheme. The capital investment subsidy was a major component of the expired industrial package.

Regarding the exemption in excise duty and other components of the package, Sharma said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had made a strong case and his ministry had made a favourable recommendation for restoration of the package to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Sharma had also taken up the matter with the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. Sharma also announced setting up of the first regional centre of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Kolkata, for capacity building of small and medium enterprise near Shimla at a cost of Rs 30 crore. The state government will provide 5 acres for the institute, which would also offer part-time MBA and other courses.

The new schemes sanctioned included a Rs 16.5-crore apple juice concentrate (AJC) plant at Gumma; Rs 12 crore project to upgrade of AJC plant at Parwanoo; a Rs 27 crore warehousing project, Rs 8 crore composite pharmaceutical testing laboratory and Rs 11 crore container parking facility -- all at Baddi; Rs 12.34 crore electrical infrastructure development project and Rs 20 crore common effluent treatment plant at Kala Amb and Rs 16.35 crore power supply up-gradation project for Baddi.

Sharma said the ministry had granted in principle approval to seven more projects that would be sanctioned after the state completed the required documentation. These include a Rs 15-crore common effluent treatment plant at Taliwal; Rs 20 crore Gondpur road up-gradation project; Rs 15 crore project to strengthen power transmission and distribution system in Taliwal; and a Rs 15-crore power infrastructure project for Paonta Sahib. Besides, three integrated townships have also been proposed to be set up at Pandoga in Una, Dabhota in Solan and Kandrori in Kangra at a cost of about Rs 100 crore.

He said work on the Rs 17-crore spice park at Nadaun that was delayed due to the failure of the previous BJP regime to provide land would start soon. An extension centre of the park would be set up in Sirmour district.

Army says no to SAIL steel plant in Kangra
Believes Rs 300-cr plant threat to ordinance depot at Kandrori

• The plant has an installed capacity of one lakh tonnes per annum
• It will generate direct and indirect avenues of employment for locals
• It can meet the demand of steel in northern states, including Punjab, HP and J&K
• SAIL and state officials trying hard to convince the army to give a no-objection certificate

The Jukhala valley   Bilaspur

KU Hydro Project on the Lambadagg river in Chhota Bhangal area of Palampur

Sep 11, 2013

State seeks help from Centre to complete projects

Virbhadra urged the Union Minister to speed up the work on the pending Bhanupalli-Bilaspur railway line and provide funds for the rail project at the earliest.

Since Independence, the state has seen the construction of just 44-km rail line.

Shanan project oustees demand rehabilitation

About 50 families of oustees of the Shanan and Bassi power project living in the Kundni Ward-1 of the Ner Gharwasra Panchayat in Jogindernagar today demanded proper rehabilitation under the provisions of the new Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

Plan to invest 2% profit on Corporate Social Responsibility

Solan, September 10
With the new Companies Act, 2013, making it mandatory for all the companies with a turnover of Rs 1,000 crore or net profit of Rs 5 crore or more to earmark 2 per cent of their net profit for the preceding three years on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the state may finally find big companies and multi-national companies (MNCs) to invest in socially useful activities. 

Sep 15, 2013

Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam in line for Navratna status

With consistently good performance in achieving financial and power generation targets set by the Union Ministry of Power and steady increase in dividend, public sector Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) is in line for the status of Navratna company.
The company which owns and operates the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Hydroelectric Project, which was conferred the status of a “Mini Navratna” company in 2007, has performed well over the past five years to fulfil the criteria laid down by the Centre for upgrade to a “Navartna” company.
Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Nigam RP Singh

Sep 16, 2013

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh coming to inaugurate a bridge constructed across the Sarsa river, Nalagarh

Hari Jhula Bridge at Panjli

Sep 18, 2013

Traditional crops pushed to the brink by cash crops
The traditional iron-rich crops “amaranth” (chaulai), “kodra”(jawar-bajra), “kaalan” (rice), “kathu” (buck wheat), which were once the staple diet of the people living in hills, have been pushed to the brink by cash crops.
"Amaranth", "chaulai", found to be a rich source of iron and green calcium, used to be staple diet of people in the Mandi-Kullu-Shimla apple belt. "Amaranth is the richest source of iron. its green leaves used to be given to a pregnant woman as these are a rich source of calcium,”

Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award conferred on Kangra advocate The International Friendship Society (IIFS) conferred the Rajeev Gandhi Excellence Award on BD Choudary, a local advocate, during a conference in New Delhi recently. He has been honoured for contribution in social, political and professional spheres. The award was presented to BD Choudary, 75 , by Dr Bishim Naraian Singh, former Governor, Tamil Nadu and Assam, former governor of Odisha VP Singh and Lt Gen (retd) Bupinder Singh, Governor, Andaman Nicobar.

Sep 19, 2013

CM inaugurates skill development centre

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today dedicated the first Centre of Excellence for Skill Development in the state to people by inaugurating its newly constructed building at ITI, Nahan.

It is a joint venture of the National Skill Development Council of the Government of India and IL&FS Skill development Corporation Limited.The Skill Development Scheme would benefit 83,000 youth this year and Rs 500 crore would be spent on the scheme in the next five years where eligible educated youth in the age group of 18-35 years would be provided Rs 1,000 per month as Skill Development Allowance, he said. Persons with 50 per cent or more disability would get Rs 1,500 per month.

‘Shiitake’, a special edible mushroom known for its medicinal properties, on a commercial scale. The commercial production of shiitake, also known as the Japanese mushroom

Rural Development and Animal Husbandry Minister and Mandi Sadar Legislator Anil Sharma

Sep 20, 2013

Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Bhim Sen

Sep 21, 2013

State comes under ambit of food security
Becomes the fifth state to implement the Rajiv Gandhi Ann Yojana; 37 lakh people to benefit

In all, 37 lakh people will be given 3 kg of wheat at Rs 2 per kg and 2 kg of rice at Rs 3 per kg every month under the scheme while the Antyodaya families will continue to get 20 kg of wheat and 15 kg of rice per month according to past practice. There are 16.99 lakh ration card families in the state, including APL, BPL, Antodaya Yojna and Ann Purna Yojna, which were getting subsidised ration.

Irrigation & Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes

Rural Development Minister Anil Sharma

Public sector Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) will be a partner in the world’s largest 4,000-MW solar power project to be set up near the Sambhar lake in Rajasthan.

Sep 23, 2013

Luhnu cricket stadium at Bilaspur on the banks of Gobind Sagar Lake

Kufri gets amusement park

The famous tourist destination of Kufri will now have an added attraction with the opening of an amusement park having facilities for adventure sports.

Agriculture Minister Sujan Singh Pathania

Sep 24, 2013

Atal Bihari Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports – Manali

In Himachal, the Muslim community is mainly concentrated in Sirmaur, Chamba, Una and Solan districts.

Sep 28, 2013

World Bank nod for Theog-Rohru highway project

Decks have been finally cleared for resumption of work on the 80-km Theog-Hatkoti-Rohru highway upgradation project with the World Bank granting approval for award of contracts for two stretches on the highway after re-tendering.
The Rs 321-crore work on the highway, which is the lifeline of the apple belt in upper Shimla, will commence before the year-end and complete by December 2015. Gurgaon-based C and C Company, which was the lowest bidder, has been given two years for completing the work
The entire project was initially awarded to a Chinese firm, Long Jian Road and Bridge Construction Company, for Rs 228 crore as a single package. However, the company failed to arrange the necessary funds and manpower and could not execute work in time. The company could execute only 22 per cent of the work in five years for which it was paid Rs 62 crore. As such the total cost of the project will now increase to Rs 383 crore.

Mining: State empowered to grant green clearances 
Relief for Himachal as 110 cases are pending with the Centre
The decision of the Centre to allow the state governments to grant environmental clearances for less than five hectares of leases for river-bed mining has come as a big relief for Himachal as 110 cases have been pending with the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest for the past three years.

CM announces tunnel beneath Chehni Pass
Addressing a gathering at Killar, the sub-divisional headquarter of the Pangi tribal valley yesterday, the Chief Minister announced that a tunnel would be constructed beneath the Chehni Pass and Rs 30 lakh had been sanctioned for conducting the survey.
With the construction of the tunnel, the mountainous Pangi tribal valley would be connected by an all-weather shortcut highway with Chamba and other parts of the state, the Chief Minister said.

World Tourism Day - Sep 27

Sep 29, 2013

Mountain biking rally kicks off

The ninth edition of the Himalayan Mountain Biking rally, christened as Discovery Montra MTB-2013, was flagged off from Shimla today. As many as 84 bikers, including several foreign participants, are taking part in the six-day event, which attracts some of the tallest names in the world.

Supreme Court had awarded arrears worth Rs 4,250 crore to Himachal as per its share of 7.19 per cent in all projects of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB)