Scheme enabling pvt entities to be part of green initiatives gets Himachal govt nod
Himachal Pradesh government has recently approved to launch Mukhya Mantri Green Adoption Yojna to involve the private sector under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) towards environmental sustainability, a state government spokesperson said on Thursday.
Chief minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has specially mentioned this scheme in his budget speech for 2025-26 fiscal year.
A spokesperson of the state government said that this would enable private entities to participate financially and engage directly in the ecological restoration of specific degraded forest sites. Under the scheme, the forest department will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the private entrepreneurs for a period of five years, the spokesperson added. The MoU would have all details, including approved budget, cost of plantation, maintenance, protection, soil/moisture conservation, fencing and other approved activities. He said that the aim of this initiative is to increase the state's actual forest area through plantations on degraded forest lands.
The spokesperson said that community involvement was a cornerstone of sustainable forest management. Adopting private entities would encourage the integration of local communities in the project, providing employment opportunities in activities such as site preparation, planting, watering, weeding and acting as chowkidars for protection. He said that local institutions like mahila mandals, yuvak mandals, self help groups and panchayat representatives would foster ownership and long term protection of the planted areas thereby ensuring livelihoods to the locals.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
25 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Himachal to sell ₹800-crore securities to procure loan
The cash-strapped Himachal Pradesh government will take loan by selling government stock (securities) worth ₹800 crore for carrying out development works of the state. A notification regarding this was issued by the state finance department and published in the official gazette on Friday. An auction in this regard would be held by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) at Mumbai on June 3 and the successful bidder would have to make the payment by June 4, an official said. The state government has a debt of ₹1.03 lakh crore though the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government in the state has been blaming the BJP for 'financial mismanagement and pushing the state into debt trap'. The committed liability of the government on payment of salary and dearness allowance (DA) to employees and the pensioners was about ₹30,000 crore per annum, and 13% pending DA installments and arrears of revised pay scales are yet to be cleared. According to the notification, the loan will be credited to the government's account on June 3 and repaid over 20 years, with the final repayment due by June 4, 2045. The interest would be on half yearly basis in December and June. The government has stated that the borrowed amount will be used for developmental works across the state. Sources in the finance department revealed that after disbursing salaries and pensions for state employees, the treasury is left with limited funds, making additional borrowing necessary to meet ongoing financial commitments and fund development projects. CM Sukhu, while speaking during the budget session in March, had said that his government in the last two years, took loans worth ₹29,046 crore, out of which ₹12,266 crore were spent on paying interest and ₹8,087 crore on debt repayment and only ₹8,693 crore were available for developmental works. It may be mentioned that the reduction in RDG and lowering the borrowing limit caused a loss of ₹3,000 crore to the government and it also imposed a cut of ₹1,700 crore in borrowing, following restoration of the old pension scheme.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Himachal Pradesh cabinet decides to fill 700 posts of Home Guard and regularise 203 panchayat secretaries
Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh cabinet has decided to fill 700 posts of Home Guards volunteer and agreed to regularise 203 zila parishad cadre panchayat secretaries who have completed two years on contract by March 31, 2025. Chaired by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Saturday's cabinet meeting also removed a key hurdle for aspiring resident doctors by scrapping the one-year mandatory field posting requirement before applying for senior residency. The change brings uniformity to eligibility criteria at Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, and Dr Rajendra Prasad Govt Medical College, Tanda, aligning them with the Atal Institute of Medical Superspecialities (AIMSS), Chamiyana. In a bid to cut plastic waste, ministers approved a pilot 'Deposit Refund Scheme 2025'. Under the initiative, consumers will pay a refundable deposit when buying products with certain packaging, such as glass bottles, plastic containers, cans and multilayered materials. The deposit will be returned once the empty packaging is returned. Other decisions included relocating the Himachal Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) office from Shimla to Dharamshala and launching a fresh reservation roster for panchayati raj institution (PRI) members and chairpersons, a move last seen in 2010. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Check if You Are Eligible for a Free Hearing Aid Test Best Hearing Aids Undo The cabinet also allowed the Himachal Pradesh Forest Development Corporation to collect minor minerals and carry out dredging in forest rivers and ponds to improve resource use and environmental outcomes. In education, a new elementary block will be created at Baddi in Solan district by bifurcating the Ramshahar block. Administrative restructuring of Sulah, Bhawarna, and Lambagaon development blocks in Kangra, along with Bharanj in Hamirpur district, was also approved to ease governance delivery. MSID:: 121535367 413 | Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh cabinet has decided to fill 700 posts of Home Guards volunteer and agreed to regularise 203 zila parishad cadre panchayat secretaries who have completed two years on contract by March 31, 2025. Chaired by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Saturday's cabinet meeting also removed a key hurdle for aspiring resident doctors by scrapping the one-year mandatory field posting requirement before applying for senior residency. The change brings uniformity to eligibility criteria at Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, and Dr Rajendra Prasad Govt Medical College, Tanda, aligning them with the Atal Institute of Medical Superspecialities (AIMSS), Chamiyana. In a bid to cut plastic waste, ministers approved a pilot 'Deposit Refund Scheme 2025'. Under the initiative, consumers will pay a refundable deposit when buying products with certain packaging, such as glass bottles, plastic containers, cans and multilayered materials. The deposit will be returned once the empty packaging is returned. Other decisions included relocating the Himachal Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) office from Shimla to Dharamshala and launching a fresh reservation roster for panchayati raj institution (PRI) members and chairpersons, a move last seen in 2010. The cabinet also allowed the Himachal Pradesh Forest Development Corporation to collect minor minerals and carry out dredging in forest rivers and ponds to improve resource use and environmental outcomes. In education, a new elementary block will be created at Baddi in Solan district by bifurcating the Ramshahar block. Administrative restructuring of Sulah, Bhawarna, and Lambagaon development blocks in Kangra, along with Bharanj in Hamirpur district, was also approved to ease governance delivery. MSID:: 121535367 413 |
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
6 hours ago
- Business Standard
Return used packs, get paid: Himachal's new policy to tackle mountain trash
The Himachal Pradesh cabinet on Saturday approved a new initiative aimed at tackling non-biodegradable waste. Under the plan, buyers will pay a refundable deposit on select products. This deposit will be returned once the used packaging is handed back, according to an official release. The initiative, called the Deposit Refund Scheme 2025, will be launched on a pilot basis. It will cover various types of packaging, including glass bottles, plastic drink containers, aluminium cans, liquid cartons, soft plastic packs, and multilayered packaging. The cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, also approved the recruitment of 700 Home Guard volunteers in the Home Guards and Civil Defence Department. "Based on QR code scanning, the vendor will charge a nominal fee, and that will be refunded once the plastic pack is disposed of at the collection centre," said Himachal Industries Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan. Meanwhile, to improve resource utilisation and support environmental protection, the cabinet authorised the Himachal Pradesh Forest Development Corporation to collect minor minerals and carry out dredging in rivers and ponds situated in forest areas. Mountain of trash According to media reports, Shimla generates nearly 2,800 tonnes of solid waste each month, while Manali — a popular tourist destination — produces more than 1,100 tonnes. This amount tends to double during peak tourist seasons. Apart from major urban centres like Shimla, many smaller towns that draw visitors with their natural charm lack effective waste management systems. As a result, rubbish often accumulates along roadsides and causes blockages in local water bodies. Earlier in 2018, the state government imposed a ban on the use of thermocol items such as cups, plates, glasses, and spoons to address environmental concerns. Other cabinet decisions In another decision, the cabinet approved regular jobs for 203 Panchayat Secretaries (Zila Parishad cadre) who will have completed two years of contract service by March 31, 2025. The cabinet also decided to shift the Himachal Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) office from Shimla to Dharamsala. A significant change was also made to the Postgraduate/Specialist Services (PG/SS) Policy. The cabinet removed the requirement of a one-year field posting before doctors can apply for senior residency at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, and Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda. This update aligns the policy with that of AIIMS in Chamiyana and aims to simplify the selection process while streamlining the Resident Doctor and PG/SS policies. Lastly, the cabinet approved the reorganisation of development blocks in parts of Kangra and Hamirpur districts — specifically Sulah, Bhawarna, Lambagaon, and Bhoranj — to enhance local administrative accessibility for residents.
