Subsequent to the announcement of Shri P. Chidambaram, Union Finance Minister on behalf of Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister regarding opening of Indian Institute of Technology in Himachal Pradesh during his visit to the State on 2nd October, 2007, Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister has once again taken up the matter with the Prime Minister to speed up the process for setting up of the institute which would benefit the students of the State and surrounding regions.  read more »

Shri V.S. Kokje, Governor of Himachal Pradesh delivered a lecture on 'India's Legal Profession and Judicial Process in comparative Perspective to the participants of 13th Annual Summer Law Programme at Hotel Oberoi Clarks Shimla today. The Summer Law Programme has been authorized by the Accreditation Committee of American Bar Association, Section of Legal Education. The participants of the programme are drawn from all the Law Universities of United States of America and India.  read more »

Her Excellency President of India Smt. Pratibha Devi Singh Patil was accorded a warm and heartfelt send-off to Delhi by H.E. Governor Shri V.S. Kokje, Lady Governor Smt. Leena Kokje, Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues, Lt. General J.K. Mohanty, GOC Army Training Command Shimla alongwith senior Army officers and senior officers of the State Government at Kalyani helipad near Shimla in early hours today.  read more »

The Himachal State Government would send a detailed and consolidated pre- feasibility report for execution of three tunnel projects being prepared by State Electricity Board for funding by World Bank so that better road connectivity could be ensured in the State. It was stated by Thakur Gulab Singh, Public Works Minister while presiding over a meeting of senior officers of PWD here today.

Shri Thakur said that the construction of a three-km-long tunnel below Bhubujot situated in the Lag-valley wildlife sanctuary, was proposed which would connect Jogindernagar Sub Division with the Kullu valley through Ghatasani-Barot- Sidhwani road. He said that the proposed road of Rs.70 crore estimated cost would shorten the distance by 55 kms. from Jogindernagar to Kullu. He said that this road would provide easy access to Kullu and help in developing Lag valley to come on international tourism map.

Public Works Minister said that the second proposed tunnel was on Dhaneta-Bangana road which would go a long way in systematizing and ensuring smooth flow of traffic in the day by day increasing traffic flow. Whereas the third tunnel was proposed for construction below Uttrala-Sarsi- Holi Pass in Chamba district. He said that HPSEB had been directed to prepare the pre-feasibility report on these three projects at the earliest for submission to World Bank.

Shri Thakur said that it would be ensured that environmental and ecological balance is maintained during the construction of these three tunnels adding that no such project would be implemented at the cost of our fragile environment. He said that the Horticulture wing of PWD would be revamped so that all the National, State Highways and other roads in the State were beautified by planting flowers and ornamental plants along them.

He further stated that likewise pre-feasibility reports had already been received for construction of four tunnels for Shimla municipality aimed at containing the ever-increasing traffic problems in the capital town. He disclosed that these included 690 metre tunnel from Lift to Lakkar Bazar at an estimated cost of Rs. 45 crore, a 1140 metre-long-tunnel from Lift to HIMFED Petrol Pump costing about Rs. 70 crore, a 860 metre-long-tunnel from HIMFED Petrol Pump to IGMC costing about Rs. 59 crore whereas the fourth tunnel of 150 metre length would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs. 119 crore from Sanjauli to Dhalli.

It was also revealed in the meeting that a sum of Rs. 5.38 crore was being spent on the widening of 72 metre-long Auckland tunnel which would be completed by December this year.

Shri Balram Sharma, Secretary, PWD, Shri B.S. Rajpal, Engineer in Chief, PWD and senior officers of PWD were present in the meeting.

Mr. David Malone, Canadian High Commissioner called on Shri V.S. Kokje, Governor of Himachal Pradesh today at Raj Bhawan Shimla.

It was a courtesy call.

Ms. Halen Economo Amundsen, Counsel General, Canadian High Commission, New Delhi was also present on the occasion.  read more »

Himachal State Governor Shri V.S. Kokje and Chief Minister Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal have felicitated the people of the State on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.

Shri V.S. Kokje in his felicitation message said that teachings and principles of Lord Buddha hold good even today in the modern world. He said that Lord Buddha is therefore relevant in present times also and can provide solutions to problems of modern society.

Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister in his felicitation message, said that Buddha Purnima is the most sacred festival of Buddhists. The teachings of Lord Buddha are solely to liberate human beings from the misery and sufferings of life, he added. He said that today the teachings of Buddha are more relevant and we should follow his teachings by heart.

शिमला जिले के ठियोग उपमण्डल के मेहा-नैरी सड़क को नाबार्ड अथवा प्रधानमंत्री ग्राम सड़क योजना के अंतर्गत लाने के लिए इसकी विस्तृत परियोजना रिपोर्ट शीघ्र तैयार की जाएगी। यह जानकारी आज यहां लोक निर्माण मंत्री ठाकुर गुलाब सिंह ने उनसे भेंट करने आए भारतीय जनता पार्टी किसान मोर्चा ठियोग मण्डल तथा ग्राम पंचायत पंचायत देवठी के एक प्रतिनिधिमण्डल को सम्बोधित करते हुए दी। प्रतिनिधिमण्डल का नेतृत्व भारतीय जनता पार्टी किसान मोर्चा मण्डल ठियोग के महासचिव श्री इन्दर सिंह दमसेठ ने किया।  read more »

हमीरपुर संसदीय चुनाव क्षेत्र के लिए होने वाले उपचुनाव के अन्तर्गत मतदान 22 मई, 2008 को प्रात: 8 बजे से सायं 5 बजे तक होगा। यह जानकारी आज यहां मुख्य निर्वाचन अधिकारी श्रीमती मनीषा नंदा ने दी। उन्होंने कहा कि स्वतंत्र, निष्पक्ष एवं शांतिपूर्ण मतदान के लिए सभी प्रबंध पूरे कर लिए गए हैं तथा पुलिस एवं होम गार्ड कर्मियों सहित पोलिंग दल 20 मई को अपने निर्धारित मतदान केंद्रों को रवाना होंगे।  read more »

हिमाचल प्रदेश सरकार राज्य में गुणात्मक शिक्षा प्रदान करने के लिए प्रयासरत है, जिसके लिए प्रभावी पग उठाए गए हैं। प्रदेश को केंद्र से पब्लिक प्राइवेट पार्टीसिपेशन (पी.पी.पी.) के अन्तर्गत 22.5 करोड़ रुपये प्राप्त हुए हैं, जिससे प्रत्येक औद्योगिक प्रशिक्षण संस्थान को स्तरोन्नत करने व गुणात्मक शिक्षा के लिए 2.5 करोड़ रुपये व्यय किए जाएंगे। इस तरह वर्ष 2008 में प्रदेश की 9 आई.टी.आई. को इसके तहत स्तरोन्नत किया जाएगा।  read more »

सरकार आवश्यक वस्तुओं की मूल्य वृध्दि के प्रति सजग है तथा मूल्य नियंत्रण के लिए कारगर प्रयास किए जा रहे हैं। जमाखोरी, मुनाफाखोरी एवं कालाबाजारी रोकने के लिए आवश्यक वस्तु अधिनियम 1955 के अंतर्गत व्यपारिक संस्थानों पर कड़ी नज़र रखी जा रही है। हिमाचल प्रदेश में आवश्यक वस्तुओं की कोई कमी नहीं है तथा प्रदेश सरकार द्वारा कारगर एवं समयबध्द कार्रवाई के परिणामस्वरूप आवश्यक वस्तुओं की उपलब्धता एवं मूल्य नियंत्रण में है।  read more »