HP govt puts cap on number of people at political events
SHIMLA: In a meeting of the state cabinet on Tuesday, where important decisions affecting the common man like the recruitment of 4,000 teachers was taken and improving the water supply and sewerage in capital Shimla was taken, Himachal Pradesh has decided to limit the number of persons allowed at political gatherings.
Though the number has been clarified yet, this decision comes a day after Union minister for information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur concluded his five-day Jan Ashirwad Yatra that traversed four parliamentary segments. The yatra received an overwhelming response. Both the Congress and the BJP have been holding meetings and public rallies to muster support for by-elections to three assembly and one Parliamentary segment.
“We had a discussion on the Covid-19 situation and have decided to the limit the numbers of people in official and political events,” chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said after the meeting, adding, “Prohibition on social gathering will continue. Over the past four days, the number of Covid cases has declined.”
Of the 4,000 teachers, 2,640 will be hired for elementary education and 1,360 in higher education. The posts approved to be filled in elementary education include 820 posts of drawing teachers and 870 of physical education teachers.
The cabinet also approved a draft negotiation package that envisages improvement of Water Supply and Sewerage project in the Greater Shimla Area with financial assistance from the World Bank.
The total outlay of the project is $250 million (Rs 1,813 crore). The World Bank will provide Rs 1,160 crore, with the Himachal government providing Rs 653 crore. For this project, principal secretary, department of urban development will finalise and sign the negotiation package on the behalf of the state government.
Augmentation of Shimla’s water supply from the Sutlej river with an additional 67 MLD to meet demand till 2050 is the key aim of this project. It also seeks to replace the distribution pipe network across municipal corporation Shimla to upgrade it to 24x7 water supply system. Additionally, sewerage network in areas of Mehli-Panthaghati, Totu and Mashobra will also be provided.
Schools closed till September 4
Schools will remain closed till September 4 in the wake of the looming threat of the third wave of Covid-19. No new curbs have been imposed. The Cabinet gave its nod to open new Industrial Training Institute at Ladaghat in tehsil Sadar of district Bilaspur. The cabinet decided, in principle, to extend benefits of retirement gratuity and death gratuity to the employees of Urban Local Bodies who have been covered under the New Pension Scheme. A new Development Block Office will be built at Churag in Mandi district, while it has also been decided to open Atal Adarsh Vidyalaya at Bagsiad (Sharan) in Seraj Vidhan Sabha area of Mandi district.
The cabinet decided to engage 24 Non-Residential Special Training Instructors (NRSTI), with qualification on a par with JBT on contract.
Primary Health Centre, Baldhar, in Karsog area of Mandi district will be upgraded to 30-bed Community Health Centre and Community Health Centre Rakkar in Kangra district as a 24x7 emergency health institution.
The cabinet decided to give the construction of additional building work of blood bank, mortuary, space for holding/ handling of biomedical waste, cafeteria and canteen in the super-specialty block of Indira Gandhi Medical College at Chamiyana to HSCC Pvt India Limited.