School uniform scheme: CAG report picks holes

A Comptroller and Audit General (CAG) report tabled in the assembly on Tuesday pointed out delays in providing school uniforms under the Atal School Vardi Yojna, a free school uniform scheme of the HP government.

As per the report, the uniform cloth was not provided to students during 2018-19, 2016-18 and 2019-20 and it took the authorities more than 11 months to distribute the uniforms.

The report also raises questions have on the construction work of trauma centres. Even after spending ₹10.61 crores, trauma centres could not be set up at five government hospitals and ₹ 7.81 crores was lying unused for 30 to 57 months.

According to the CAG report, an undue advantage was given to the firm in the construction of the Phina Singh Dam. Due to addition of 8% to the calculated rates, wrong working area and award of a lump-sum contract with unfair item rates, the undue benefit of Rs 19.52 crore was given to the firm, it said.

The CAG has raised questions on the management of museums in Himachal Pradesh. It states that the acquisition of art was done arbitrarily. In states that no item was acquired for the museum in Chamba and the registers were not maintained properly. The security system of museums was flawed and there was a lack of effective monitoring, tracking of visitors.

HP amends act to protect tea gardens

The Himachal Pradesh government amended the HP Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1972 (Act 19 of 1973) to prevent sale and change of land use to protect and promote tea industry in the state.

The amendment was moved by state revenue minister Mahender Singh Thakur Act, which was enacted to put a ceiling on the big land holdings.