Himachal Pradesh, in its meeting held here today, decided to introduce new license for Inter-State sale of bottled Indian Made Foreign Spirit (IMFS) by non-manufacturer dealer in the State. Presently, the export of bottled spirit is allowed only from distilleries, breweries and bottling plants on receipt of import permit issued by the Excise and Taxation Department of the importing State and there is no provision to allow Inter-State sale of bottled Indian made Foreign Spirit by any person who does not possess a manufacturer license in the State. The Cabinet decided to introduce a new license for IMFS by non manufacturer dealer in the State.
The meeting was presided over by the Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
For HP Valued Tax (VAT) it was decided that a branch of any Nationalized bank can function as a Treasury bank for Government transactions.
The Cabinet also gave approval for financial assistance of Rs. 40 crore to HIMFED as margin money from National Co-operative Development Corporation (NCDC) with the objective of planning and promoting programmes for production, processing, marketing, storage, export and import of agricultural produce and certain notified commodities on co-operative principals. It was also decided to lease out land to Director General Employment and Training, Ministry of Labour and Employment, GoI for Regional Vocational Training Institute for women at Jhundla, in district Shimla.
The Cabinet gave approval for granting relaxation in age for appointment of class IV on compassionate grounds for all departments by making necessary amendments in compassionate policy.
The Cabinet decided to give status of District level fairs to Dussehra fairs of Sunni and Dharamshala.
The Cabinet gave its nod to upgrade the police posts at Kupvi in Chopal in Shimla district and Dharampur in district Mandi as full-fledged police stations. Approval was accorded to open Public Health Centres (PHCs) in Kapahara and Pantehra in Ghumarwin constituency of district Bilaspur with the required staff.
For setting up Spice Park in the State, a decision was taken that ten acres of land of H.P. Agricultural University Palampur be further leased out to the Spice Board of India.
The Cabinet gave its approval for transferring land in the name of National Council of Science Museum, Ministry of Culture, GoI for the construction of Science Centre at Palampur in the campus of H.P. Agricultural University.
Approval was accorded for felling of trees in both on Government and Private land under Shimla Municipal Corporation as recommended by the Cabinet sub-committee.
It was decided that the permit fee of Kail cones be fixed at Rs 500 per quintal instead of Rs 1000 as fixed earlier as there has been a considerable reduction in Kail Cones export due to enhancement in its export fee and also include Khair chips after Katha extraction as forest produce for export in Schedule II with permit fee of Rs 10 per quintal.
A decision was taken to provide Government Land on lease to M/s Tarini Electric Power limited in district Kullu, for setting up Kurpan (5 MW) Hydel Project as per the lease norms for forty years with an increase of five percent after every five years.
The Cabinet approved to provide time line extension to Tidong II (60 MW) Hydropower project in Kinnaur district without levying extension fee for a period of six months to submit a bankable Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the project in view of the fact that the survey and investigation work at the site were effected due to natural calamity. Approval was accorded invite fresh bids within a month for allotment of Lower Sumej (5 MW), Tauhuk (4.5 MW) and Kareri (5 MW) Hydro Power projects on BOT basis.
A decision was taken to award the balance work of bridges and approaches and widening and strengthening of Mehatpur-Una-Jhalera-Amb road under the World Bank assisted Himachal Pradesh State Roads Project which is to cost about Rs. 66 crores.
The Cabinet gave its approval to Himachal Pradesh Court Fees (Amendment) Ordinance, 2014.
It was decided that Engineer–in-Chief (Project) of IPH Department at Fatehpur in district Kangra will look after the work of the Phinna Singh, Sidhatha and Shahnehar projects also, in addition to Swan Channelization, Chonch Khad and other works already assigned to him.
