Shimla, January 8
The committee on revenue reforms has recommended major amendments in four Acts, including the Tenancy and Land Reforms Act and Land Ceiling Act, keeping in view the problems being faced by not just entrepreneurs but also bona fide Himachalis.
The committee headed by Revenue and Irrigation and Public Health Minister Mahender Singh met here today to finalise recommendations on amendments in the Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, Land Ceiling Act, Land Revenue Act and Land Records Manual. The committee comprises six MLAs, including those from the BJP, the Congress and the CPM. The recommendations of the committee will be placed before the Cabinet for final approval.
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2 Tucked away in picturesque locations, homestays in rural areas offer a glimpse of the local culture, traditions, besides freshly cooked organic vegetables. Pics courtesy: Meena Bagh Ratnari, Kotkhai, Shimla, & Sunshine Himalayan Cottage, Banjar, Kullu
Pratibha Chauhan
When Ashim and Garima from Gurugram planned a trip with their children to Manali, they skipped the luxury hotel they usually stayed at and booked a quaint rural homestay. “We were yearning to go on a holiday but didn’t want to compromise on health. We zeroed in on a cosy homestay since there was lesser chance of exposure to Covid,” says Ashim. Garima adds, “The 20-minute trek to the cottage was exhilarating, especially for our kids. The experience was surreal, virtually transporting us to a magic land amid apple orchards. With a kitchenette and a balcony to the mud-plastered rooms, it was the laidback holiday I had always dreamed of.”
Shimla, December 24
The HP Government plans controlled cultivation of cannabis for various purposes, including medical, and has sought feedback from other states, such as Uttarakhand, that are already doing so. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur observed: “The bigger challenge will be to ensure people do not take to rampant cultivation.”
Specific areas as well as species of hemp with low narcotic content will be identified, if the government decides to go ahead with the proposal. Those backing the move argue that it will help strengthen the rural economy. The issue has been raised in the Assembly several times.
Several parts of the state including Kullu-Manali, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur and Chamba have conducive climatic conditions for cultivating cannabis. Pushing for the proposal, Kullu MLA Sunder Thakur argued, “Practically every part of the plant is used for food, to make footwear, clothes, ropes, and most importantly in the pharma sector for medicines.”
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The Tribune Interview: Jai Ram Thakur, Chief Minister Himachal Pradesh
Being a state where tourism is the mainstay for a sizeable population, the impact of the Covid pandemic on Himachal’s economy has been immense. With the total loss suffered by the state pegged at Rs 30,000 crore, the existing financial crunch could impact the state’s growth in the coming year, including several initiatives planned by the Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP regime as it completes three years in office on December 27.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, in an interview with Special Correspondent Pratibha Chauhan, outlined his government’s roadmap for ensuring that the wheels of development are kept moving, notwithstanding constraints like the paucity of resources, spiralling unemployment and reluctance on the part of investors to push through the already-approved projects.