India

Himachal assures 120 days of employment

Shimla, May 2 (IANS) The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet on Saturday decided to initiate steps to revive state’s economy amid coronavirus pandemic and to provide 120 days of assured employment to the urban people under a new Mukhya Mantri Shahari Rojgar Guarantee Yojna.

For this, if required, adequate training would be provided for skill upgradation, a government statement said.

During the pandemic thousands of people belonging to the state have returned from other states having expertise in various fields. They would be identified and trained accordingly to provide them employment and self-employment avenues, it said.

The state had provided Rs 2,000 each to about one lakh workers registered under Building and Other Construction Workers Board with an outlay of Rs 20 crore. Now the government has decided to provide another Rs 2000 each to them.

Agriculturists and horticulturists have been facing huge losses. The farmers suffered huge losses as they were not able to market flowers and other exotic vegetables. Therefore, the government has decided to compensate them to some extent.

The government is trying to provide all possible help to market their produce, said the statement.

Tourism industry is the worst affected. For this, the government has decided to waive off electricity demand charges for six months thereby providing them relief of about Rs 15 crore. Similarly, excise and taxation license fee would be waived off and lifting quota of bars would be on pro-rata basis.

To support the industry, GST refunds would be made at the earliest.

At the Cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, it was decided to constitute a task force headed by Jal Shakti Minister Mahender Singh to give suggestions for other remedial measures to be taken to revive the economy.

It also decided to give post-facto approval for extension of the excise policy for 2019-20 up to May 31. The retail licensees would not be required to deposit any excise levies for the period liquor vends remained closed due to the lockdown after March 22.

–IANS

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