CM instructs to clear first installment of pending liabilities by 28 April

SHIMLA -25 April, 2025Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu while presiding over the meeting of the Finance department here today, instructed to clear all the pending liabilities of contractors of the Public Works Department and Jal Shakti Vibhag before 30 April, 2025.

He said that the first installment of the pending liabilities will be disbursed before 28 April and the remaining amount by 30^th of this month. He directed both the departments to work speedily to prepare the bills and ensure their timely submission to the treasuries for payment. He also instructed the PWD and Jal Shakti Vibhag officers to present their department's bills after 10^th of every month as the state receives central taxes on 10^th of every month.

MLA Sunder Singh Thakur, Principal Advisor Media to Chief Minister Naresh Chauhan, Additional Chief Secretary Onkar Chand Sharma, Principal Secretary, Finance Devesh Kumar, Secretary, Finance Dr. Abhishek Jain, Engineer-in- Chief, PWD N.P. Singh, Engineer-in-Chief Jal Shakti Vibhag Anju Sharma and other senior officers attended the meeting.

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Two minutes silence observed in memory of victims of Pahalgam terror attack

SHIMLA, 25.04.25-Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu led the State in paying rich tributes to the person, who lost their lives in Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April, 2025. Two minutes silence was observed in their memory in the premises of H.P. Secretariat, here today.

The Chief Minister said, "Today we are observing silence from the Secretariat and all the Deputy Commissioner Offices in the honour of all those persons who were killed in the gruesome terror attack. We also extend our sympathies with the bereaved families and the entire nation shares their sorrow in this dark hour."

Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, Deputy Chairman, State Planning Board Bhawani Singh Pathania, Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania, MLA Anuradha Rana, Principal Media Advisor to the Chief Minister Naresh Chauhan, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, OSD to Chief Minister Gopal Sharma, senior officers, officers and officials of H.P. Secretariat were also present on the occasion.

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Remote sensing plays a crucial role in agricultural development: Prof. Chander Kumar

SHIMLA, 25.04.25- Agriculture Minister Prof. Chander Kumar, while addressing a training programme organized for agricultural officers at the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Dehradun, today, said that the use of modern technology in the agriculture sector was of great importance. He said that, along with weather updates, other crucial information can also be obtained through remote sensing technology. This technology can be effectively used to address various problems efficiently.

Agriculture Minister mentioned that the Himachal Pradesh government has undertaken several innovative initiatives to strengthen the rural economy. The state has launched the Him Krishi Yojana, under which activities have commenced in different clusters. A provision of Rs. 154 crore has been made under the Himachal Pradesh Crop Diversification Promotion Project for the upliftment of farmers, which will promote agricultural mechanization and the use of modern technology. He added that the state government was also encouraging natural farming. A support price of Rs. 90 per kilogram has been declared for turmeric cultivated through natural farming methods.

Prof. Chander Kumar appreciated the activities conducted by the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun. He stated that the training programmes organized by the institute would be fruitful to the farmers and horticulturists and emphasized that remote sensing technology can be utilized for the development of the agricultural sector. He said that agricultural officers from the state would be sent to this institute for undertaking training of master trainers.

A six-day remote sensing training program is being organized at the institute for 25 agricultural officers from the state, from April 21^st to 26^th April, 2025.

Director IIRS R.P. Singh and Director Agriculture Kumud Singh were also present on the occasion

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CM participates in candlelight march in protest against Pahalgam Terror attack

SHIMLA,25.04.25-Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today joined a candlelight march organized by the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee, held from Sher-e-Punjab to the historic Ridge Maidan in Shimla. The march was held in protest against the terror attack on the tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025. Congress leaders paid heartfelt tributes to the victims and expressed deep solidarity with the bereaved families.

In-charge of State Congress Party Affairs and Rajya Sabha MP Rajni Patil, HPCC President Pratibha Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Health Minister Col (Dr.) Dhani Ram Shandil, Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, Education Minister Rohit Thakur, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh, Mayor Surinder Chauhan, Chairman HPTDC R.S Bali, Vice Chairman State Planning board Bhawani Singh Pathania, Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania, MLAs, Senior Congress Party leaders and workers besides many others also took part in the protest.

Chief Minister said that any type of cowardly act won't be tolerated as it happened in Pahalgam. The Congress Party stands united with the Union Government in the fight against terrorism. "We wow to eliminate those external forces, who try to disturb the peace and pose threat to the security of the Nation" he said, adding that the Congress leaders including former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajeev Gandhi laid their lives for the Unity and Integrity of the Nation. The killing of 28 tourists in Pahalgam, was yet an another brutal attack on the Integrity, security and sovereignty of India and the congress Party stands with the bereaved family members.

He said that the All India Congress Committee and Himachal Pradesh Government paid their sincere tributes to the family members of the Pahalgam victims and stand firmly with the Union Government to deliver a strong rebuttal to any external forces attempting to undermine the Unity and Integrity of the Country.