Shimla, August 2017: Chief Secretary Shri V.C.Pharka directed the national highway authority to keep Shimla-Parwanoo highway through round the clock, keeping in view the ongoing apple season in the state. He directed to take into consideration the topography and geological conditions of this hilly state while carrying out the work on four-laning of this highway.

He was presiding over a meeting of all the government departments at Solan on Friday evening. He said apple has an important role in the economy of the state and keeping in view the fact that maximum apple boxes are transported through Shimla-Parwanoo highway, it should remain open day and night. He directed the authority to remove construction material lying on the sides of the highway to avoid traffic jams. He also stressed that while carrying out the work on broadening of this highway, it should be ensure that there is no loss to agricultural and other type of lands of the farmers.

The Chief Secretary directed the SDMs concerned for early disposal of land acquisition cases and also asked the district administration to broaden the alternative routes constructed due to ongoing work on four-laning of Shimla-Parwanoo national highway.

Shri Pharka directed all the departments to utilize the funds provided to them under centrally and state sponsored schemes in a time bound manner to ensure that the developmental projects are completed in a stipulated time period. He directed to make Aadhar cards of all children in the age group of 0-5 years and opening of accounts of all the pensioners in the district.

He asked the education department for construction of separate toilets for boys and girls and ensuring availability of clean drinking water in each school. He directed the agriculture department to motivate the famers for setting up poly houses as there are vast possibilities of producing off-season vegetables and cash crops in the district. He directed for providing digital ration cards to all ration card holders of the district.

The Chief Secretary also took stock of the loss due to monsoon and directed the district administration to restore drinking water and irrigation schemes and the roads.
It was disclosed in the meeting that Solan district suffered a loss to the tune of Rs. 37 crores in the monsoon season.

Deputy Commissioner Solan Shri Rakesh Kanwar detailed about various developmental works being carried out in the district.