In view of surge in Covid-19 positive cases, Himachal Cabinet on Tuesday decided to grant special vacation from November 11 to 25 in educational institutions across the State. The cabinet meeting held under Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur decided to grant special vacation to all Government and private schools, colleges, ITIs, polytechnics, engineering colleges and coaching institutes from November 11 to 25 for students, teaching and non teaching staff.
The decision has been taken in view of the present Covid-19 situation in the state, said an official spokesman.
Recently, 67 students and 25 teachers and staff members were tested positive at the Tibetan Children Village boarding school at Chauntra in Mandi setting alarm bells ringing for the authorities. The regular classes had started in 1862 government schools for the students of class IX to XII on November 2 in the state after a gap of almost eight months.
The state’s Education Minister Govind Thakur himself had tested positive for COVID-19 recently and has been admitted to a hospital. Till now, 26322 persons have been tested positive for COVID-19 in the state, as per evening’s health bulletin (5 pm).
During the cabinet meeting, the matter of increase in COVID-19 cases amid the festive season was discussed and a decision was taken to close educational institutions in the state.
After reviewing the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the State Government has directed that testing should be increased and contact tracing must be carried out diligently in the shortest possible time.
The cabinet also directed that a special campaign should be launched for protection of the vulnerable groups through the field staff of the Health and Family Welfare Department. The Department was also directed to launch an extensive IEC campaign for promoting COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.
The cabinet has also appealed to the general public to follow all the COVID-19 preventive protocols during social functions such as marriages.
Apart from this, the government has approved a ropeway project from Narkanda to Hatu Peak and allotted the consortium of Randhawa Constructions Private Limited New Delhi and Q2A Solutions Limited Honkong (JV) on PPP mode for a period of 40 years.
WINTER SESSION OF HP ASSEMBLY FROM DEC 7
Himachal cabinet in its meeting has decided to recommend to the Governor to convene the HP Vidhan Sabha winter session from December 7 to 11 at Dharamshala. Earlier, a 12-day monsoon session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly was held in September in Shimla under strict COVID-19 measures. The cabinet also decided to organize next Janmanch on December 5. The last ‘Jan Manch’ programme to redress the grievances of the general public was held on November 8 after a gap of eight months in the state.
TOKEN TAX REDUCED IN HP
The State Government has approved to reduce the token tax to be charged on various vehicles in Himachal. The token tax of six percent would be charged on motorcycle or scooter of value upto Rs one lakh whereas it would be seven percent above Rs one lakh.
The cabinet also decided to charge a token tax of six percent on personal motor vehicle and construction equipment vehicles of upto Rs 15 lakh and seven percent on personal motor vehicle and construction equipment vehicles of more than Rs 15 lakh.