Shops will open till 5 pm, buses to ply in Himachal

Shimla : Starting 14 June Shops in Himachal Pradesh will remain open from 9 am to 5 pm from 14th June but remain closed on Saturday and Sunday .

Government offices will function with 50 percent of staff, with staff strength of 75 and above. All the medical colleges, ayurvedic colleges and dental colleges will remain open from 23rd June. Pharmacy and nursing schools to open from 28th June.

Intrastate public transport will be allowed with 50 percent occupancy. Section 144 lifted and no requirement of RTPCR tests for entering in the State. Corona curfew will continue from 5pm to 5am 

The Cabinet provided a relief of about Rs 40 crore to the transport sector one of the worst hit sector by the pandemic which include an Interest Subvention Scheme on working capital for stage carriage operators, under which a loan amount of Rs 2 lakh per bus and maximum amount up to Rs 20 lakh would be provided to the bus operators as working capital. 

The duration of the loan will be 5 years, the first year will be of moratorium period, there would be 75 percent interest subvention, which would be paid by the state government. 

In the second year, there will be an interest subvention of 50 percent on interest which would be borne by the government.  About Rs 11 crore relief has been provided by the government on this scheme.  

The Cabinet also provided relief to Stage Carriage, Taxi, Maxi, Autorickshaw and Institution Buses by giving the relief of 50 percent on payment of Special Road Tax and Token from 1st August, 2020 to 31st March, 2021.  The Transport sector will get relief of about Rs 20 crore due to this decision.  

It also decided to provide 50 percent relief on Special Road Tax and Token Tax during the period of three months from 1st April, 2021 to 30th June, 2021.  This decision would provide relief of Rs 8 crore to stage carriages, taxis, maxi, autorickshaws, contract carriage buses and institution buses.