In a significant administrative overhaul, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Monday that Ladakh will see the creation of five new districts. This decision aims to improve governance and bring government services closer to the people. The new districts—Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang—will be added to Ladakh’s current two districts, Leh and Kargil, making a total of seven. Home Minister Amit Shah stated that this initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed and prosperous Ladakh. He emphasized that the new districts would enhance the delivery of government benefits and services. Prime Minister Modi supported the move, highlighting that it would lead to better governance and greater opportunities for the region's residents. Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal also endorsed the decision, noting its potential to spur overall development in Ladakh. The creation of these new districts marks a pivotal step towards more effective administration and regional growth in Ladakh. By decentralizing governance, the Modi government aims to ensure that every corner of the Union Territory receives the attention and resources needed for progress.

In a tragic road accident in Joginder Nagar, Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, an out of control car collided with a motorcycle where two people were standing by the roadside. The car then plunged into a 50-foot deep gorge, leaving five individuals seriously injured. The incident occurred near Dhelu Bend in Joginder Nagar, where Sandeep and Amit Kumar from Simt were standing with their motorcycle. During this time, a car came out of control, hitting the motorcycle riders forcefully. After the collision, the car lost its balance and fell into a 50-foot deep gorge. The motorcycle riders, Sandeep and Amit Kumar, along with the car occupants Gaurav, Anshul, and Avinash, sustained severe injuries. People present at the scene immediately took the injured to the Civil Hospital in Joginder Nagar, where they were given first aid before being referred to Tanda Medical College. The police have registered a case and are investigating the cause of the accident. All the injured are receiving treatment, and further action is being taken by the police.

The state government has prepared a comprehensive plan to develop two Gram Panchayats in each district of the state as Green Panchayats on a pilot basis, and to achieve this, the government mulls setting up solar power projects of 500 kilowatts to one-megawatt capacity in each of these Panchayats. A provision of Rs. 50 crore has been made for setting up these projects under the Himachal Pradesh Power Sector Development Programme. Himurja, a state government undertaking, has initiated the process of setting up solar projects by identifying the Gram Panchayats. Apart from this, the Government has set a target to develop the state as a 'Green Energy State' by 31st March 2026. Effective steps are being taken for ensuring the participation of citizens of the state besides the Panchayati Raj institutions, which will play a pivotal role in achieving the target. For setting up one solar project of 500 KW, an expenditure of Rs. 2.10 crore would be incurred. After becoming functional, 2250 units of power will be generated per day thereby generating an income of around Rs. 25 lakh annually from each project. The participation of Gram Panchayats will also ensure employment opportunities for the local youth and new avenues of income generation for the Gram Panchayats. Special emphasis has been laid on the role of youth in achieving the objective of making Himachal a Green Energy State. The youth of the state will be given a 40 percent subsidy for setting up solar power projects ranging from 500 KW to 2 MW on their own land or land taken on lease. The power generated from these projects will be procured by the State Electricity Board. The government is also making efforts to develop public transport with the help of electric vehicles to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions. In order to encourage the participation of youth in this direction, it has been decided to provide a subsidy of Rs. 50 percent with a maximum limit of Rs. 50 lakh for the purchase of e-buses and e-trucks thus ensuring employment for the youth. Further, the government has made a provision to provide a subsidy at a rate of 50 percent for setting up e-charging stations for electric vehicles and a comprehensive policy for developing EV-charging stations was on the anvil. The initiative of Green energy will also help save the country's resources and to address the impacts of climate change along with empowering the economy of the State.  

  •  CM attends dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu   Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu attended a dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu during the G-20 Summit at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, on Saturday. At the event, the Chief Minister met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed various issues related to the state's interests. CM Sukhu conveyed the gravity of the damages caused by the natural disaster during the monsoon and appealed to the Prime Minister to declare it a ‘National Disaster’. The Chief Minister highlighted that over 400 people have lost their lives due to the calamity and over 13 thousand houses were damaged, leaving thousands of families homeless. He added that as a result of the disaster, the state has suffered cumulative losses exceeding Rs. 12,000 crore. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated that Himachal requires substantial assistance from the Union government to rebuild and chart a path toward recovery. He further urged the Prime Minister to release a special relief package to Himachal Pradesh, drawing a parallel to the support provided during the Bhuj and Kedarnath tragedies.    The Prime Minister listened intently to the Chief Minister's concerns and assured that the demands would be considered sympathetically. Dignitaries including US President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Australian PM Anthony Albanese, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Presidents and Prime Ministers from other countries, representatives of 19 invited countries, dignitaries from various international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund and World Health Organization, Union cabinet ministers and chief ministers of different states attended the dinner.    

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today launched the Mukhya Mantri Sporting Abilities, Rebuilding Aspirations and Livelihood Scheme (SABAL) from his home assembly segment Nadaun in district Hamirpur. Aimed for the bright future of specially-abled children, this scheme intends to take special care of such children in around 400 schools across Hamirpur, Solan and Shimla districts.  Simultaneously, the Chief Minister also launched 'Abhyas Himachal' and 'Shikshak Sahayata' chatbots, accessible via the Swift Chat app, offering ease similar to WhatsApp and powered by conversational Artificial Intelligence. These chatbots will enable students to revise lessons at their convenience, from any location from their mobile phones. This facility features a quiz-based format and provides educational videos that can be utilized by both students and teachers to enhance the learning and teaching experience in the classroom as well. The Chief Minister also launched "Sampark Science TV Program," designed to transform ordinary TVs into Smart TVs. This innovation aims to enhance children's learning experiences, especially in subjects like mathematics and English. The device comes preloaded with educational materials, eliminating the need for an internet connection.  On the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the Sabal Yojana was aimed to improve the lives of specially-abled children in the state. The initiative focuses on providing essential facilities and opportunities for them. He said that the state government has made a provision of two per cent reservation in government jobs for specially-abled individuals and the recruitment process for this, was set to commence on a mission mode shortly. He also announced to enhance the education stipend provided to specially-abled children to Rs. 1000. The Chief Minister announced to set up 'Rajya Chayan Aayog' in place of the Staff Selection Commission in Hamirpur within the next two months to ensure fairness in the selection criteria of candidates.  He said that we were committed to bringing transparency and ensuring a merit-based selection process. During the tenure of the previous BJP government, the Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission had become the hub of corruption selling question papers. Our government, taking prompt action, nabbed the culprits and put them behind bars said he. He said that 6000 teachers will be recruited through this new commission soon. Along with this, 3000 Van Mitra will be recruited in the Forest Department and 1200 personnel in the police, who will work as a special task force to combat drug trafficking. The Chief Minister said that the state government was going to conduct more than 10 thousand recruitments this year. Furthermore, the Chief Minister announced Rs. 5 crore for the construction of a DIET Girls Hostel at Gauna in Nadaun and a modern stadium with provisions for sports like shooting, boxing, and swimming. He reiterated that healthcare services across the state were being strengthened. Six specialist doctors in each of the 32 assembly segments will be deployed soon. Despite facing an economic crisis as inherited from the previous government, the present state government is resolute in helping those affected by disasters. He said that recent monsoon devastation resulted in losses exceeding Rs. 12,000 crores, CM criticized the opposition for the state's fiscal health condition and said that despite massive damage during the monsoon, incurring losses of more than 12 thousand crore, the state BJP leaders have failed to take up the issue of financial assistance from its central leadership. There was a huge loss to both public and private property due to floods, landslides and cloudbursts including loss of human lives and livestock but despite the present government's plea to declare the tragedy, as a National calamity, the central government has given a deaf ear to it. The state government is determined to rebuild every damaged house with its own resources, said he.  Despite the financial crunch, the state government would fulfil all its guarantees in the coming five years, he said. The guarantee of restoration of the old pension has already been fulfilled and other guarantees will also fulfilled as promised. The Chief Minister also distributed special equipment to over 120 children with special abilities during the event jointly organized by Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan and Sampark Foundation.  He also planted a sapling on the occasion.  While speaking on the occasion, Education Minister Rohit Thakur said that Himachal Pradesh has been a pioneer in the field of education and the government has committed to deliver quality and employable education. The Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding Schools were set to revolutionize education in the state in the times to come. The YS Parmar Scholarship Scheme has been launched to offer education loans at a nominal interest rate of one percent, up to Rs. 20 lakh for meritorious students. To enhance employment prospects, new technical courses have been introduced.  

  Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla has congratulated Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) scientists on the successful launching of Aditya-L1 by PSLV-C57. After the success of Chandrayaan-3, India has added another dimension to its space journey, said the Governor and added that this is a golden day for India, when this prestigious campaign has been started with the aim of serving the entire humanity. He added that it was due to motivation and support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to ISRO and the team involved, that the launch was successful. With this, India's reputation in space science has increased in the world. He added that ISRO scientists have enhanced India's prestige in the world.

The State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) in consultation with the RBI will explore the possibility of interest subvention facilities for borrowers affected by natural calamities. This move by the State Government is expected to provide much-needed financial relief to affected borrowers, aiding them in their recovery efforts as they rebuild their lives and businesses in the wake of devastating natural calamity,” said Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.  Keeping in view the hardships faced by borrowers in areas ravaged by unprecedented monsoon rains triggering flash floods and landslides, the State Government has taken decisive action to restructure loans. The decision aims to provide relief to those whose economic stability has been severely affected due to the disaster. Subsequent to the declaration of the State as a naturally affected area on 18th August 2023, consultations with banks culminated in the finalization of these essential measures. This initiative focuses on rescheduling all types of existing loans, including those taken for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), retail, and others, excluding advances related to agriculture and allied activities. In accordance with the RBI circular, relief measures for loans extended to agriculture and allied activities will be provided following an assessment of crop losses by the State Government.  To determine eligibility for relief measures, the accounts, that were not overdue, as on 24th June, 2023, will qualify for loan restructuring. The entire restructuring process will be completed within three months from the date of the State Government's declaration of the natural calamity i.e. 18th August, 2023. The Chief Minister said that for those eligible, a moratorium period will be implemented, allowing a deferment of principal instalment payments for up to 12 months from the date of implementing the need-based restructuring measures, assessed on a case-by-case basis. This significant relief effort extends to all regulated entities of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), including Scheduled Commercial Banks, Regional Rural Banks, Cooperative Banks (both rural and urban) and Small Finance Banks.

Hydro Engineering College Bilaspur will soon have a digital library. Secretary Technical Education, Abhishek Jain presided over the meeting of Board of Governors of Government Hydro Engineering College (GHEC), Bilaspur, at Shimla today. The Board passed a proposal to set up a digital library in the institute with an estimated amount of Rs. 60 lakh and to procure state-of-the-art computers worth Rs. 50 lakh for the institute to strengthen the IT cell.    The Board directed the Himachal Pradesh Technical University to start Ph.D. courses in the GHEC Bilaspur. It was also decided to set up a workshop equipped with modern technology and facilities.     Abhishek Jain said that the college should be developed with a view that it could emerge as the best Hydro Engineering College of India. He laid emphasis on establishing research center in the hydro and power sector with the help of NTPC and NHPC organizations. He said that sports activities should also be promoted in the campus besides setting up of a botanical garden.        Apart from this, the importance of setting up a museum in the institute was also emphasized in which models of hydro and power related projects will be displayed for acquainting the students with practical knowledge.   

The Chief Minister urged the Central Government to provide wholehearted assistance to the state in this hour of disaster so that the activities of normalizing the system could be expedited by bringing life back on track in the state. In wake of heavy loss to both life and property due to the recent spell of incessant rains triggering landslides and floods, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated that a decision has been taken to declare Himachal Pradesh as a 'Natural Calamity Affected Area'.   The normal life in the state was thrown out of gear by torrential rains, floods including landslips in which around 330 people have lost their life and over 12000 houses have been damaged. The state has suffered an enormous loss of over Rs. 10000 crore. Immense damage has been caused to the roads, including the National Highways and rural roads, and numerous water and power supply schemes were badly hit, besides agriculture and horticulture sectors have also suffered huge losses said he. The communication system in the state has also been adversely affected. People who were evacuated were provided shelter in the relief camps. In view of the prevailing danger, many people have been safely evacuated from their homes and shifted to safer places. Sh. Sukhu said that the state government was working on a war footing for relief, rescue, and rehabilitation. All possible help is being provided to the people affected adversely. He said that directions have been issued to the concerned districts and departments to assess the loss of property and livestock, the infrastructure, and other damages and present the same to the government.        

Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukkhu said that a policy would be formulated for permanent rehabilitation of the affected families adding that he understands the agony of the people who have lost their homes and livestock.  The estimated loss during the last 55 days, due to rain rage has been assessed around Rs. 10,000 crore yet it will take time to make up for the loss, said the Chief Minister on Friday while his visit to affected areas of Sirmaur. CM said that adequate compensation would be given to the families whose crops and homes have been completely destroyed. He said that financial aid will also be given to those families whose houses have been affected by silt.  The government was committed to rehabilitating the affected people despite financial constraints from its available resources, he reiterated.      He directed the officers to ensure transparency in the distribution of relief funds. Instructions have been issued to all the officers to ensure that affected people get as much help as possible. He said that the state government stands with all sufferers in this hour of crisis and he was reviewing the relief operations every minute.  The Chief Minister also visited Kandei Wala hit by the cloudburst causing significant damage to the houses and standing crops. The Chief Minister presented cheques of Rs 3.45 lakh each, to the next of kin of Imran and Bindro Devi, who died after being swept away in the flood. Industries Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan informed the Chief Minister that a total loss of Rs. 372 crore has been incurred in the Sirmaur district so far. As many as 21 people died and 22 people were injured in recent flash floods. He said that 40 houses were completely razed. He thanked the Chief Minister for generously providing assistance to the affected families.  

· Meets affected families in Sirmaur district   A policy would be formulated for permanent rehabilitation of the affected families adding that he well understands the agony of the people who have lost their homes and livestock. He said that an increased provision has been made by the government on the death of livestock. Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday visited the disaster hit areas of Paonta, Shillai and Nahan of Sirmaur district and assured the affected families that government will do everything required to rehabilitate the homeless.  He also announced rupees one lakh each to the 22 affected families of Ambaun in Shillai, whose dwellings were severely damaged due to floods. The Chief Minister also met Vinod Kumar, a resident of Sirmauri Tal by visiting him in person and consoled him, as five members of his family were buried alive. He also provided a financial assistance of Rs. 20 lakh to Vinod and his extended family. Besides, the Chief Minster also met the other 17 families of Sirmauri Tal who were rendered homeless and were sheltered in relief camps and interacted with each one of them. He directed the administration to provide financial assistance to all the homeless. The Chief Minister directed to construct a bridge at Kachhi Dhank for permanent solution of mud sliding on Paonta-Shillai Highway.  

Five family members are feared trapped under the debris of a house that collapsed after water from a cloudburst gushed into a village in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district, officials said on August 10. The cloudburst occurred in the Poanta Sahib area of the district on August 9 night, they said and added that water entered several houses in Malagi Dadiyat village. One of these houses collapsed. Five members of a family are feared trapped under its debris, the officials said. The State emergency operation centre stated that heavy damages have been caused to properties in Malagi Dadiyat and the house of Kuldeep Singh, who works at the Public Works Department, has collapsed. Following the cloudburst, a section of the National Highway-707, connecting Poanta with Shallai, was blocked, making it difficult for officials from the administration and police to reach the Malagi Dadiyat. The road’s section between Rajban and Sataun was blocked and due to the cloudburst, the water level of the Giri river has also increased, the officials said. The administration is trying to get personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to aid operations, they said.  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the Lok Sabha shortly in response to the Opposition's no-confidence motion against the NDA government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha attends the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Thursday. The opposition moved a no-confidence motion against the government on July 26 which was accepted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. This is the second time Modi is facing a no-confidence motion.