Amid massive protest across the State, the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet on Saturday decided to reduce the minimum bus fare from Rs 5 to Rs 3, up to three kilometres distance in “public interest”.
The move is aimed at pacifying the anger in the State as Government during its last Cabinet meeting had made passenger fare hike in public transport by 30 per cent, which led to massive protest across the State. Opposition had termed the fare hike anti-people and had held Statewide protests. The Cabinet also granted its approval for the launch of Himachal Pradesh Mahila Vikas Protsahan Yojana-2013. Under the scheme, bonafide Himachali women aged above 18 years of age will get cash prize of Rs 21,000, along-with a citation for making outstanding contributions in the field of health, education, sports, social service and art and culture.
The Chief Minister had made announcement in this regard on International Women Day function on March 8, 2013. Approval was granted to regularise admissions in various courses BTech (including bio-tech, food-tech and bio-info), M Tech, B-Pharma, M Pharma and MBA and diploma courses made by various private universities, colleges and polytechnics in accordance with the minimum educational qualification prescribed by the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) and concerned regulatory bodies up to August 15, 2013, as one time measure in the larger interest of students and parents.
The approval has been granted subject to imposition of penalty under relevant provisions of law by respective regulatory bodies. It gave approval for amendment in development plan for Dharamshala planning area by designating the director, town and country planning as the competent authority for permitting change of land use for restricted and other areas of the development plan for Dharamshala planning area.