SHIMLA-12.08.25-

State President of State Computer Teachers Association calls on Chief Minister

State President of State Computer Teachers Association Suman Thakur met Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu at Oakover Shimla on Monday evening and apprised him about various demands of the association.

She said that 1302 computer teachers are rendering their services invarious government schools for about 25 years and urged to regularize the services computer teachers.

The Chief Minister assured that the government would sympathetically consider their genuine demands.

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Youth’s future is linked to the State’s future: CM

• CM presides over International Youth Day Programme
• Launches Car-Bin distribution drive and HIV awareness campaign covering 6,000 villages

On the occasion of International Youth Day, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu urged the youth of Himachal Pradesh to stay away from drugs and actively support efforts to make a Himachal a drug-free State. He appealed to young people to report drug traffickers to the police and assured that the State Government was committed to rehabilitating those trapped in the drug menace. He added that strict action was being taken against drug mafias, including confiscation of their properties.

"Today’s youth are the future of the nation and the progress of Himachal Pradesh is directly linked to their well-being," said the Chief Minister, adding: "The reforms we are implementing today will benefit the youth in the next five years, when they will proudly say they belong to the most prosperous State in the country."

The Chief Minister said that the Government was creating employment and self-employment opportunities for the youth, besides encouraging start-ups. To promote tourism, the State would invest Rs. 3,000 crore in the coming years. The Government was offering loans at a 4 percent interest rate for home-stay construction. Presently, about 8,000 home-stays are operational in the State and tourism activities have begun along the China border. These steps would go a long way in promoting the tourism activities in the state.

He added that educational reforms have elevated Himachal Pradesh’s ranking from 21st to 5th in the country. Ten Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding Schools will become operational from next academic session, offering pre-nursery to Class 12. These would be equipped with swimming pools, nutritious meals and provide quality education. Teacher recruitment is underway and advertisements have been issued for 600 JBT positions, he added.

The Chief Minister said that 6,000 orphaned children have been declared 'Children of the State', and financial support for higher education under the Dr. YS Parmar Vidyarthi Rin Yojana, which offers loans up to Rs. 20 lakh at just 1 percent interest rate, was also being implemented in the state.

Sh. Sukhu stated that 90 percent of the State’s population lives in villages, but farming was no longer the main livelihood. The Government was promoting natural farming, offering minimum support prices for wheat, maize, raw turmeric and barley. He said that Himachal aims to become a leader in natural farming, with processed products being made available through fair price shops. "I also received a phone call from the Governor of Gujarat Acharya Devvrat who appreciated the efforts of the State government to promote Natural farming in the State," he said.

During the event, the Chief Minister launched an HIV awareness campaign, scheduled to run from 12^th August to 12^th October, 2025. The campaign will cover 6,000 villages and more than 1,500 educational institutions of the State. He also started the second phase of the Car-Bin distribution drive, handing bins to 50 taxi drivers in Shimla. Across the state, 6,000 car-bins will be distributed, in addition to the 4,000 distributed earlier in the first phase. He also administered an oath against drug abuse and HIV.

The CM flagged off a 'Red Run' and 'Bicycle Run' from his official residence earlier in the morning and honoured the winners.

Speaking on the occasion, Health Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil emphasized that channelising youth energy in the right direction was crucial for a better future. He expressed concern over the 6,408 HIV cases reported in the State, of which 1,453 are among youth aged 15–30. He said that the State Government was promoting HIV testing and treatment alongside running awareness programmes to curb the spread of the disease.

Project Director, HP State AIDS Control Society, Rajiv Kumar, welcomed the Chief Minister during the event and elaborated about the activities being undertaken by the Society. On this occasion, a cultural programme was also presented to raise awareness about drug abuse and HIV.

Vice Chairman of State Planning Board Bhawani Singh Pathania, MLAs Harish Janartha, Suresh Kumar, Neeraj Nayar, Vivek Sharma, Ranjit Singh Rana, Ajay Solanki, Anuradha Rana, Mayor MC Shimla Surender Chauhan, Deputy Mayor Uma Kaushal, OSD to the Chief Minister Gopal Sharma, senior Congress leader Surender Mankotia, DC Shimla Anupam Kashyap and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion

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आपदा प्रभावित सराज में शिक्षण कार्य जल्द होंगे बहाल — शिक्षा मंत्री
109 पूर्ण क्षतिग्रस्त स्कूलों के लिए प्रथम चरण में 16 करोड़ स्वीकृत, बरसात बाद शुरू होगा निर्माण

मंडी, 12 अगस्त। शिक्षा मंत्री रोहित ठाकुर ने मंगलवार को आपदा प्रभावित सराज क्षेत्र का दौरा कर निहरी सुनाह पाठशाला, डिग्री कॉलेज लंबाथाच सहित कई क्षतिग्रस्त शिक्षण संस्थानों का निरीक्षण किया। उन्होंने बताया कि पूरे प्रदेश में हालिया आपदा से 523 शिक्षण संस्थान क्षतिग्रस्त हुए हैं, जिनमें से 109 पूर्ण रूप से नष्ट हो गए हैं। केवल मंडी जिले में 29 संस्थान प्रभावित हैं, और इनमें से 22 अकेले सराज में हैं। शिक्षा मंत्री ने कहा कि इन 109 पूर्ण क्षतिग्रस्त स्कूलों के लिए प्रथम चरण में 16 करोड़ रुपये का प्रावधान किया गया है। बरसात समाप्त होते ही पुनर्निर्माण कार्य शुरू होगा, जिसके लिए हिमुडा को जिम्मेदारी दी गई है।

शिक्षा मंत्री ने बताया कि हालिया आपदा से हिमाचल प्रदेश को लगभग 2000 करोड़ रुपये का नुकसान हुआ है, जिसमें शिक्षण संस्थानों को 30 करोड़ रुपये का नुकसान आंका गया है। लंबाथाच डिग्री कॉलेज की सुरक्षा दीवार के निर्माण के लिए लगभग 6 करोड़ रुपये की व्यवस्था या तो विश्व बैंक परियोजना के तहत या अगले वित्तीय वर्ष में की जाएगी। उन्होंने स्पष्ट किया कि भविष्य में भवन निर्माण के लिए स्थान चयन की संयुक्त जिम्मेदारी उपनिदेशक शिक्षा, बीईओ और नोडल एजेंसी की होगी, ताकि भवन आपदा संभावित क्षेत्रों, नदियों और नालों से दूर बनाए जा सकें। उन्होंने कहा कि एक किलोमीटर के दायरे में स्थित पूर्ण रूप से क्षतिग्रस्त स्कूलों को निकटवर्ती सुरक्षित विद्यालयों में समायोजित किया जाएगा। निहरी में प्राइमरी स्कूल की कक्षाएं अब वरिष्ठ माध्यमिक पाठशाला में लगेंगी।

उन्होंने लोक निर्माण विभाग को क्षेत्र की बंद पड़ी सड़कों की बहाली में तेजी लाने के निर्देश दिए, ताकि बागवान अपनी तैयार सेब की फसल समय पर बाजार तक पहुंचा सकें। उन्होंने कहा कि मार्केट इंटरवेंशन स्कीम के तहत एपीएमसी द्वारा सेब की खरीद शुरू कर दी गई है। सराज क्षेत्र में 5 खरीद केंद्र खोले जा चुके हैं और अन्य स्थानों पर भी केंद्र खोलने के आदेश जारी किए गए हैं।

दौरे के दौरान पूर्व मुख्य संसदीय सचिव सोहन लाल ठाकुर, चेतरात ठाकुर, जगदीश रेड्डी, नरेश चौहान, महेश राज, तरूण ठाकुर, गोपाल सहगल, ओम प्रकाश, निदेशक कॉलेज कॉडर डॉ. अमरजीत सिंह, निदेशक स्कूल शिक्षा आशीष कोहली, एसडीएम थुनाग रमेश ठाकुर और उपनिदेशक शिक्षा यशवीर कुमार भी उपस्थित रहे।

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Online verification begins for beneficiaries of social security pension

A new mobile app has been developed by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment to verify online (e-KYC) the beneficiaries of social security pension schemes. A spokesperson of the department said here today that through the app, the department has started the process of verification of all social security pension beneficiaries, so that the social security pension could be provided smoothly to each beneficiary in their bank or post office savings account.\

The spokesperson urged the beneficiaries to get their verification (e-KYC) done by visiting the nearest Aanganwadi centers before 31^st August, 2025 along with all the necessary documents.

For all the necessary information regarding the verification or for solutions to any problem, the beneficiaries could contact their nearest Child Development Project Supervisor, Tehsil Welfare Officer and Child Development Project Officer, added the spokesperson.

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Himachal’s first zero waste tribal festival to be held in Keylong from 14th to 16th August

Himachal Pradesh’s first-ever Zero Waste Tribal Festival is scheduled to be held from 14^th to 16^th August, 2025 at Keylong. This landmark event will not only celebrate the vibrant tribal heritage of the region but also set a new benchmark for environmentally responsible festivities in the state.

Deputy Commissioner Lahaul Spiti Kiran Bhadana said that the 'Zero Waste' vision of the tribal festival will be brought to life through various initiatives, including complete ban on plastic bottles and disposable cutlery; drinking water availability at multiple stations with regular water quality checks for safe and sustainable hydration; use of pattal (leaf plates) and biodegradable cutlery to ensure eco-friendly servings; banners made of sustainable materials like cloth bags and cloth-based banners replacing plastic; and clearly marked bins for waste segregation at multiple points for different waste types.

Lahaul and Spiti district administration has partnered with the Healing Himalayas and Saahas NGOs for waste management, sustainability awareness and hands-on education on eco-friendly practices.

During the tribal festival, a special attraction will be the 'Heritage Echoes Pavilion', a creatively designed space dedicated to the art, craft and living traditions of tribal communities. In collaboration with Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India, tribal artisans will be provided a prominent platform to showcase and sell their handcrafted products, handlooms and traditional cuisines, ensuring both cultural preservation and livelihood promotion.

The cultural segment, supported by the North Zone Cultural Centre, will feature performing troupes from Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat and Uttarakhand. These will be complemented by captivating performances from Lahaul and Spiti, Pangi and other parts of Himachal Pradesh, making the festival a rich blend of local and national tribal artistry.

The Food Fiesta will offer an unforgettable culinary journey that combines authentic tribal delicacies with global flavors, giving visitors a taste of cultures from near and far.

Deputy Commissioner Kiran Bhadana said that the Tribal Festival-2025 is not just a cultural celebration, but is also a statement of our commitment to sustainability and heritage preservation. As Himachal’s first Zero Waste Tribal Fair, it will inspire communities across the state to celebrate responsibly while honoring our rich traditions.