E-Paper
Himachal cabinet gives nod for holding MC polls on party symbols
The Himachal Pradesh cabinet gave nod to hold municipal corporation elections on party symbols
The Himachal Pradesh cabinet gave nod to hold municipal corporation elections on party symbols.
The chief minister Jai Ram Thakur-led cabinet on Tuesday gave its approval for making amendments to the Himachal Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1994 and Himachal Pradesh Municipal Corporation Elections Rules, 2012. These amendments would pave way for conducting MC elections on party symbols, provide reservation for OBCs, have provision of disqualification on grounds of defection, and strengthen provisions of no-confidence motion.
Election in four MC - Solan, Palampur, Mandi and Dharmshala - will now be held on party symbols. Election date for the four MCs is likely to be announced in the first week of March.
It also gave nod to the governor’s address to be delivered during the budget session of Vidhan Sabha, slated from February 26.
The cabinet approved providing government land on lease at the rate of one rupee per month for a period of 99 years in Mauja Dhaulakuan, Paonta Sahib, Sirmaur, measuring 122-08 bighas in favour of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Nauni at Dhaulakuan for establishment of a regional horticulture research and training station for the benefit of farmers.
It also gave consent to construct additional accommodation at Sundernagar Rest House in Mandi at a cost of ₹3.90 crore to provide better boarding and lodging facilities to the employees and general public during official tours.
The cabinet also decided to extend special land acquisition unit at Nalagarh in Solan and engage staff on reemployment/fixed emoluments basis for a period of one year from January 1, 2021 as the land acquisition work in the stretch of Baddi-Nalagarh road length of 18km under Project Director NHAI Shimla was being done by land acquisition collector, Nalagarh.
The cabinet also gave approval to the proposal to modify penalties, fines under Section 210A of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 as well as to specific authorities competent to compound the offences under Section 200 of the Act. This was being done to ensure safety of the people, by motivating the people to adopt save driving.
It also gave its nod to extend engagement of 2555 SMC teachers already engaged under SMC Teachers Policy in elementary and higher education departments for 2021-22 academic session.
The cabinet gave its consent to rename Government Senior Secondary School, Manoh in Hamirpur, as ‘Shaheed Ankush Thakur Government Senior Secondary School, Manoh’ as a mark of respect to Galwan martyr Ankush Thakur.
The cabinet decided to implement Mukhya Mantri Krishi Kosh scheme for farmer’s producer organisations (FPOs)-2020 for providing incentives, concessions and facilities for eligible FPOs in state.
Under the scheme, FPOs could avail seed money up to 30% of the total project cost with a maximum ceiling of ₹6 lakh or one-and-a-half times of the equity raised by the FPOs, whichever is less. The scheme would also ensure credit guarantee cover for bank loan, interest subsidy, etc.
It also approved to transfer land comprising in Khasra no. 60 situated at Mohal Bazar ward, Chhota Shimla, presently under possession with the police department in the name of Shimla MC to shift existing two shops of the MC to Khasra no. 60 so that widening of Sadbhawana Chowk can be undertaken in public interest to ease out the situation of traffic congestion on Chhota Shimla to Kasumpti road.
