SHIMLA: In the wake of recent accidents involving vehicles carrying school children, Himachal Pradesh cabinet on Tuesday approved transportation guidelines for safe plying of school vehicles. The guidelines stipulate that all school vehicles have a first aid box on board, inflammatory items which are not more than 15 years old, display emergency number and have no curtains or music system. The vehicles should also have speed governors and special provision for the specially-abled students.In April this year, 24 children and two teachers had died when a school bus plunged 328 feet into a gorge in Nurpur. Last week, 10 schoolchildren had sustained injuries after a school van skidded into 100-metre gorge in Mandi district.Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur chaired the meeting in which cabinet gave the nod to open three women police stations in Chamba, Hamirpur and Solan. Decision was also taken to withdraw tax on all fruits and vegetables under HP Taxation (on Certain Goods Carried by Road) Act, 1999 to provide great relief to farmers and horticulturists in the state. Transporters would also be given relief from paying the CGCR tax at Parwanoo and Chakki Mour barrier for carrying fruits and vegetables.The cabinet also approved ban on manufacturing, stocking, sale and use of thermocol cutlery (cups, plates, glasses) or any other item used for serving or consuming food in the state to protect the fragile environment. It was decided that three months time would be given to the businessmen to clear their stock and promote ‘pattals’ (leaf plates).It gave nod to reduce or revise the existing rates of Additional Goods Tax (AGT) under Himachal Pradesh Passengers and Goods Taxation Act, 1955 on iron and steel, yarn and plastic goods to benefit the general public.It decided to reduce the electricity duty on existing small industries from 4% to 2% and in case of medium industrial units from 10 percent to 7% in accordance with the budget announcement. It was also decided to reduce per unit rate from Rs 1 to 35 paise to agriculture consumers as per budget assurance.It also approved to fill up 1036 posts of Trained Graduate Teachers and 844 posts of JBTs in Education Department on contract basis to cope with the shortage of teachers in the schools, especially in remote and hard areas of the State.While reviewing the presentation of tourism department on Asian Development Bank (ADB) and some other issues, it was observed in the cabinet meeting that new areas should be explored for tourism development.While reviewing the presentation regarding doubling the income of farmers, it was stressed that government schemes should be included in all training programmes. It was also felt that names of practices and inputs of zero budget be simplified and natural farming be encouraged amongst the farmers.Cabinet approved the guidelines for providing assistance for installation of anti-hail nets as per budget assurance. Under the scheme, 80% subsidy would be provided to farmers for the purchase of anti-hail nets with the target to bring 30 lakh square meter area under protection of anti-hail nets during the current financial year.It also approved the guidelines for implementation of Mukhya Mantri Greenhouse Renovation Scheme under which 70% assistance will be provided for the replacement of polysheet subject to maximum of Rs 44.80 per square meters as back ended subsidy to the beneficiaries.It gave its approval to the guidelines for implementation of Himachal Pushpa Kranti Yojana for promoting floriculture in the State. The scheme will push forward the State as pioneer in production and marketing of commercial flowers and ornamental crops at National and International level.It approved to provide subsidy of 10% or Rs 4,000 per kilowatt, whichever is less, to all the domestic consumers, institutions (registered under Society and Trust Act) and Social Sectors (Ashrams run by the Government) for installation of solar power plants at the roof tops of the buildings to encourage use of solar energy.Nod was given in principle to fill up vacant posts of different categories of teachers in remote and hard areas through the concerned School Management Committees (SMCs) in Elementary and Higher Education Department where there are no teachers. The modalities will be finalized later.

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