Himachal Roadways Transport Corporation to issue ID cards for free, concessional travel

All categories of people availing of free and concessional travel in the buses of the Himachal Roadways Transport Corporation (HRTC) will now have to get an identity card (ID) made from the corporation within three months. The Cabinet today gave nod to a proposal approved by the Board of Directors of the HRTC in this regard.

Industries and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan, while speaking with mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting, said that the decision was taken to ensure there was no misuse of the free travel facility provided by the HRTC, which was incurring losses because of it. To streamline and monitor free or concessional travel facility, the HRTC would be issuing HIM Bus Cards to eligible beneficiaries for Rs 200 each.

The Cabinet also decided to approve the recommendations of a sub-committee constituted under the chairmanship of Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani to suggest the optimum use of unutilised vacant government buildings. The committee had recommended that all vacant government buildings of various departments may be utilised in a phased manner. It also recommended to designate a nodal agency for providing space to government departments, boards and corporations, which required the same for setting up offices.

The Cabinet approved a one-time legacy policy for the regularisation of unregistered construction equipment vehicles. Under the policy, owners can register their vehicles upon the payment of the applicable one-time tax and 50 per cent of the due penalty, to be paid in lump sum. The policy would remain in effect for three months from the date of notification. As per the estimates, there are 2,795 defaulter vehicles in the state that may benefit from the initiative.

The Cabinet also decided to launch the Phase-II of the Himachal Pradesh Sadbhawana Legacy Cases Resolution Scheme, 2025, for three months from September 1. The aim of the decision was to resolve around 30,000 pending cases. The scheme would also cover cases related to State Value Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum products up to financial year 2020–21.

Monsoon session from Aug 18 to Sept 2

• The monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha will be held from August 18 to September 2. This will probably be one of the longest monsoon sessions, having 12 sittings