Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu made a strong appeal to the central government on Friday. He requested special relaxations for hill states under the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme. Sukhu cited the unique operational challenges presented by the difficult mountainous terrain.
Meeting with Union Minister Khattar
During his meeting with Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar in New Delhi, Sukhu highlighted a critical issue. He pointed out that the current framework of the scheme lacks any special provisions for hill states. This limitation restricts Himachal Pradesh's ability to fully benefit from the initiative.
Population Criteria Concerns
Sukhu informed the minister about the existing norms. Under these rules, only cities with a population exceeding 10 lakh are eligible. This makes Shimla the sole qualifying city in Himachal Pradesh. The Chief Minister emphasized the rapid growth of several other urban areas.
He specifically mentioned Dharamshala, Mandi, Solan, Palampur, Hamirpur, Una, and Baddi. Sukhu requested a relaxation in the population criteria. This would allow these emerging economic and educational hubs to be covered under the scheme.
Commitment to Green Mobility
Sukhu reiterated the state government's strong commitment to promoting green and sustainable mobility. He stated that the government plans to replace 1,500 diesel buses with electric buses in a phased manner. This move aims to reduce both air and noise pollution significantly.
As part of this initiative, 297 electric buses are being procured during the current year. The procurement is happening under the CAPEX model using state resources. Sukhu provided this detail to underscore the state's proactive steps.
Land Transfer Request
The Chief Minister also raised another important matter. He urged for a no objection certificate from the Bhakra Beas Management Board. This certificate is needed for the transfer and allotment of 47 bigha of surplus vacant land at Sundernagar.
The land is intended for an integrated office of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited. This transfer would ease the corporation's functioning. Union Minister Khattar assured full support to the state on these requests.
