Shimla, Aug 11
Three Cabinet Minister of Himachal Pradesh Government missed the council of ministers meeting here on Tuesday due to the threat of Covid pandemic. As informed by Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj while briefing media in state Secretariat, Power and Multiple Purpose Project Minister Sukh Ram Chaudhary is admitted at IGMC Shimla after contracting to Novel Corona Virus and hence failed to join the meeting.
Two other Cabinet members including Education Minister Govind Singh Thakur and Forest Minister Rakesh Pathania were also under home quarantine as a precautionary measure he informed further.
A ray of hope can be seen for floriculturist in the state as Bhardwaj shared, “Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown thereafter has resulted in cumulative losses of about Rs. 15.77 crore to floriculturists of the State during the month of March to May, 2020 due to non-transportation of flowers. In order to provide relief to them, the Cabinet approved the guidelines for providing financial assistance/relief amount worth Rs. Four crore to the affected ones.”
Minister said that Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur was authorised by the council of ministers to take the decision of holding delimitation of some Gram Panchayat, Rural and Urban local bodies in the state. No decision was taken to hold elections in the meeting but discussion and presentation was made by the department about the progress of delimitation of the rural and urban local bodies.
Bhardwaj also informed that the Government would review the decision of opening religious shrines for the public after Aug 15.
