Government takes effective steps to ensure no caste based discrimination in prisons
SHIMLA-22 February, 2025-Taking one more step forward to Vyavastha Parivartan, now there will be no caste-based discrimination in the prisons of Himachal Pradesh. A government spokesperson said here today that on the directive of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the State Government has amended all the caste based provisions in the Himachal Pradesh Prison Manual 2021 to ensure equality and elimination of caste based work allocation among prisoners.
He said that the State Government has inserted a para in the Manual prohibiting caste based discrimination in prisons and correctional institutions. Under the newly added provision, para 5.66 ensures that no discrimination, classification or segregation of prisoners will occur on the basis of caste. Whereas, para 5.67 further mandates that there will be no discrimination of prisoners in allotment of any duty or work in prisons on the basis of their caste. Para 5.68 invokes the provision that prisoners will not be engaged in manual scavenging, sewer system maintenance and septic tank cleaning. Earlier, there was a provision in the Jail Manual allowing the employment of paid sweepers in the absence of female prisoners for cleaning tasks. This clause, previously under paragraph 214, has now been completely deleted.
The spokesperson said that now the Jail records will no longer mention the caste, community or religious affiliations of inmates of prisons. These provisions of entering caste, sect and denomination in the clause number 5 of register number one, register of un-convicted prisoners and the point number two of the register number two, register of convicts mentioned in para number 33/06 have been deleted. Previously the Prison Manual included provisions for such classifications. The State Government has introduced these reforms through the Himachal Pradesh Prison Manual Second Amendment, 2025.
Furthermore, the amended Jail Manual also provides a clear definition of habitual offenders. A person will be classified as habitual offenders if the person has been convicted or sentenced to imprisonment on more than two occasions on account of any one or more of the offences committed on different occasions and not constituting parts of same transaction within a continuous period of five years, provided the convictions have not been overturned on appeal or review.
The spokesperson said that the State Government remains committed to upholding dignity, equality and justice, ensuring fair and non-discriminatory prison operations in the State.
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Rural Development Department, UltraTech Cement signs MoU for co-processing of non-recyclable plastic waste
SHIMLA -22 February, 2025-The Rural Development department has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UltraTech Cement Limited to address the pressing issue of non-recyclable plastic waste management in the state.
Under this partnership, UltraTech Cement Limited will collaborate with the Rural Development department to co-process non-recyclable plastic waste in its cement kiln at Baga (Darlaghat) in district Solan. This innovative approach aligns with environmentally sound waste disposal methods and contributes to the government’s mission of maintaining State ecological balance.
The MoU underscores the shared commitment of the Rural Development department and UltraTech Cement Limited toward fostering sustainable waste management practices. It leverages UltraTech Cement Limited advanced technology to process and dispose of non-recyclable plastic waste, reducing environmental pollution and minimizing landfill use.
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HRTC Board of Directors approves purchase of about 700 buses
SHIMLA - 22 February, 2025Himachal Road Transport Corporation is going to purchase about 700 buses to strengthen the transport services in the state. A decision in this regard was taken during the 159th meeting of the Board of Directors of the HRTC held here today under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that the formalities related to the purchase of 297 Type-1 e-buses have been completed. The board has decided to accept the approval of the purchase committee regarding these buses and send the matter to the Cabinet for final approval. All these buses will be available for the convenience of passengers within about four months. Apart from this, approval has also been given to purchase 23 Type-1 e-buses in the meeting.
He said that the purchase process of 24 new super luxury buses is in the final stage and a proposal in this regard would be sent to the State Cabinet for approval.
In the meeting, approval was also given to invite tenders for the purchase of 250 diesel buses. These buses will be of 37-seater capacity. Apart from this it was decided that the process of re-tendering would be initiated for the purchase of 100 mini buses.
Mukesh Agnihotri said that the arrival of 700 new buses would facilitate transportation to remote villages of the state, benefitting the locals and tourists as well. He said that instructions have been received from the Central Government to remove 15-year-old diesel buses, after compliance of which the fleet size of HRTC buses would decrease. But the decision to purchase new buses will bring the fleet size back to normal.
It was also decided to purchase two quick response vehicles and four cranes. It was informed in the meeting that HRTC has earned an income of about Rs 70 crore during the last one year.
Managing Director of the HRTC Rohan Chand Thakur, conducted the meeting. He said that in the near future, further improvements would be made in the working system of the corporation so that along with providing better services to the people, the income of the corporation can also be increased.
Members of the Board of Directors including Principal Secretary R.D. Nazim, Director DC Negi, Special Secretary Finance Rohit Jamwal, newly appointed Vice President of the HRTC Ajay Verma and non-official members were also present in the meeting.
The UltraTech Cement Plant will cater the non-recyclable plastic waste of the districts viz. Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Mandi, Solan and Una. Presently, 29 plastic waste management units have been made operational by the Rural Development department and the non-recyclable plastic waste of these units will be sent to the UltraTech cement plant for co-processing.
Director Rural Development Raghav Sharma said: “This collaboration marks a significant step towards achieving the vision of a clean and green Himachal Pradesh. By partnering with UltraTech cement plant, the department will ensure that non-recyclable plastic waste is managed sustainably while reducing its adversary impact on the environment.”
UltraTech cement has said that the company was proud to contribute to Himachal Pradesh’s waste management goals. This initiative reflects our commitment to sustainable development.
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Printing & Stationery department to be equipped with new technology: Education Minister
SHIMLA -22 February, 2025-Education and Printing & Stationery Minister Rohit Thakur visited the Printing & Stationery department here today to review the functioning of the department. This department was playing a vital role in meeting the printing and stationery needs of all state government departments.
He said the state government was making every possible effort to strengthen the department. To address the staff shortage in the department, the government has approved 33 new posts of various categories and the recruitment process has already begun. He said that printing work depends on advanced machines, which require skilled personnel. He assured that more skilled staff would be recruited soon and he will strongly advocate for hiring more staff in the upcoming Cabinet meeting.
He said that there was a need to adopt new technology in printing and he would submit a proposal to the Chief Minister for procuring modern machinery to improve work efficiency and reduce printing time. He said that the employees would be provided specialized training to operate advanced machines.
The Minister said the previous government neglected the department and took no steps for technological advancements. No recruitment was done by the previous governments which has affected the working of the department. The printing press originally had 365 employees, but presently this number has rbeen educed to 128. Whereas the present government was committed to bringing it back on track and ensuring the smooth execution of printing work.
Rohit Thakur also inspected various sections of the department, interacted with employees and listened to their concerns. He appreciated their dedication and assured them that their grievances would be addressed sympathetically.
Controller of Printing & Stationery Prabha Rajeev briefed the Minister about the operations of the department. She also presented the key demands and requirements of the department.