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Shimla: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s re...
Himachal Erupts: Farmers and Apple Growers Protest...
Shimla, April 25: Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder...
TRAI Cracks Down on High Internet Charges for PM-WANI Wi-Fi Kiosks
PDOs to Get FTTH Plans at Fair Rates, Not More Than Double of Retail Prices
New Delhi, June 16, 2025:
To give a much-needed push to the PM-WANI scheme, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a new tariff order aimed at making internet access cheaper for small Wi-Fi providers, known as Public Data Offices (PDOs).
According to the latest Telecommunication Tariff (71st Amendment) Order, 2025, all telecom companies will now be required to offer their retail broadband (FTTH) plans up to 200 Mbps to PDOs at rates that are no more than double what regular home users pay for the same plan.
TRAI said this step was necessary because the PM-WANI scheme – meant to provide affordable public Wi-Fi across the country – was not spreading fast enough, largely due to high connectivity charges from telecom service providers (TSPs) and internet service providers (ISPs).
“Many service providers were forcing PDOs to take costly leased line connections, calling them commercial agreements.
This was hurting small businesses and defeating the purpose of affordable public Wi-Fi,” said S.B. Singh, Secretary (In-charge), TRAI.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had already taken a step in September 2024 by removing the rule that PDOs must sign such commercial deals with TSPs.
Following this, TRAI revised its earlier draft order and held public consultations and an open discussion with stakeholders in April 2025.
The final order, now released, aims to strike a balance between keeping costs low for small PDOs and allowing service providers to earn reasonably.
“This move will make it easier and cheaper for local entrepreneurs to set up public Wi-Fi kiosks under the PM-WANI scheme.
It’s a step toward affordable internet for all, especially in rural and underserved areas,” added Singh.
The full details of the tariff order are available on TRAI’s official website www.trai.gov.in.
Shimla, June 15 – In a move that’s expected to be a significant political event, the Congress party has rescheduled the unveiling of the statue of former six-time Himachal Chief Minister and veteran leader Late Raja Virbhadra Singh at The Ridge in Shimla to July 15.
Addressing a press conference at Peterhoff today, Vikramaditya Singh, PWD Minister and son of the late leader, announced that the date change from June 23 to July 15 was made after consultations with the Congress central leadership.
The event is now poised to become a show of strength for the party with several senior leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and AICC Himachal in-charge Rajni Patil, expected to attend.
“On the advice of the central leadership, we have decided to unveil the statue of Raja Virbhadra Singh on July 15 instead of June 23, so that senior Congress leaders can attend the ceremony.
I have already met the Chief Minister and requested him to reschedule the date, and he has agreed,” Vikramaditya Singh told reporters.
He added that the statue has already arrived in Shimla and is ready for installation.
“Raja Virbhadra Singh was not just a towering leader of Himachal, but a respected national figure.
Leaders from across party lines have expressed interest in attending the unveiling. This ceremony will reflect his legacy and widespread acceptance,” Vikramaditya said.
He further informed that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, members of the state cabinet, all MLAs, and opposition leaders have been personally invited to attend the ceremony.
During the press conference, Vikramaditya Singh revealed that he recently visited New Delhi to invite top Congress leaders for the occasion.
“Both Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were willing to attend but had prior commitments on June 23 and will be out of Delhi.
Hence, on their request, we decided to hold the function on July 15,” he explained.
He emphasized that the function would be a historic tribute and a people’s gathering to honour a leader who shaped modern Himachal.
Earlier in the day, Vikramaditya Singh chaired a meeting of the Raja Virbhadra Singh Foundation at Peterhoff to chalk out detailed arrangements for the unveiling.
He also mentioned that the chaturvarshik shraddh (fourth death anniversary ritual) of Raja Sahib will be held on June 24 at his ancestral home in Rampur Bushahr, and extended an open invitation to the people of Himachal to attend.
“This is not just a party function, it's a people’s event. I have personally invited leaders from all parties, and many of them have shown keen interest in attending,” he said.
Milk MSP at What Cost? Govt Paying Farmers, But Charging It Back Through Power Bills
Shimla, 15 June 2025
The Himachal government might be flaunting its Minimum Support Price (MSP) for milk as a pro-farmer reform, but the money is actually being squeezed out of the very public it claims to support — including farmers themselves.
The extra burden is showing up in electricity bills, making many wonder if this is the "Vyavastha Parivartan" people voted for.
MSP or Backdoor Billing?
The state pays Rs 51/litre for cow milk and Rs 61/litre for buffalo milk, claiming to support over 40,000 milk producers.
But sources say the cost of this MSP is being indirectly recovered through inflated electricity tariffs, hitting rural and urban consumers alike.
Even small farmers, who sell milk to the government, end up paying more for electricity, effectively funding their own subsidy.
It’s a move many are calling a zero-sum game dressed up as welfare.
Vet Vans & Helplines – Good
The launch of 44 Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) has made vet services more accessible. A helpline (1962) handles disease-related queries and emergencies. Over 36,000 calls have been attended, but many interior areas still remain uncovered or face long wait times.
Feed Subsidy – A Relief, Not a Revolution
Under the Garbhit Pashu Aahar Yojna, 31,110 farmers received 50% subsidised animal feed, helping boost milk output.
But many say the scheme is limited to select regions, and access to quality feed remains patchy.
Poultry Push – Good Numbers, Uncertain Returns
Over 6 lakh broiler chicks have been distributed, and Rs 6.13 crore spent on building 155 poultry units, claimed state spokesperson.
But market linkage, vet support, and feed prices continue to pose hurdles. Many youth who jumped in now say they feel abandoned post-setup.
New Cooperatives, Old Problems
5,166 farmers have joined new milk procurement cooperatives. The aim was to cut out middlemen.
But delays in payments, poor cold-chain infrastructure, and low bargaining power still plague the system.
CM's Claim vs Ground Truth
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu says these initiatives will boost the rural economy and create self-reliant livelihoods.
But critics argue the schemes are more about optics than transformation, and the financial burden is silently being shifted back to the people.
So while the government pats itself on the back for revolutionising animal husbandry, consumers—including farmers—are footing the bill, quite literally.
#VyavasthaParivartan
#MilkPolitics
#PowerBillSubsidy
#HimachalDairyDilemma
Helicopters Keep Falling in Char Dham: Pilgrims Burn, Government Silent — NGOs Demand White Paper on Crashes
Dehradun | June 15, 2025
Another chopper crash. Seven more lives lost—including the pilot. And yet, no lessons learnt.
As the smoke cleared near Kedarnath on Friday, the cries of grieving families once again echoed through the hills, demanding accountability and action.
Uttarakhand’s booming heli-tourism sector is now synonymous with danger, and the Dhami-led government is under sharp fire for allowing this “flying circus of death” to continue unchecked.
This is the fifth helicopter accident in just over a month during the Char Dham Yatra.
From crash-landings on narrow roads to choppers ramming into cliffs or bursting into flames mid-air, the pattern is disturbingly familiar—technical failure, pilot misjudgment, or sheer negligence.
And the price is always paid in human lives.
“Enough is enough. We want a white paper on these operations. Who owns these choppers? Who gives them clearance?
How experienced are the pilots in high-altitude flying?” said Anoop Nautiyal, Dehradun-based activist and founder of the Social Development for Communities Foundation.
“Helicopters are becoming flying coffins for pilgrims. What happened to the so-called safety protocols the Chief Minister promised just four days ago?”
The public anger is rooted in broken promises. After the third crash last month, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had assured “stringent action” and said that “no chopper will carry more than 4 passengers, and safety checks will be made mandatory before every flight.”
But Friday’s crash, where seven people perished, including a woman and two elderly pilgrims, has completely exposed the hollowness of that claim.
Even more shocking, video evidence from earlier this week shows choppers overloaded with 5–6 passengers, taking off without clearances.
Some even landed in open fields with no official helipad—a complete violation of the DGCA and state aviation guidelines.
“These operators are minting crores during the yatra season. But ask them about pilot experience, or airworthiness checks, and you get silence,” said Rajesh Patel, who lost his parents in a chopper crash last month.
“Why are these companies not blacklisted? Why hasn’t the government published their audit reports? Why are we, the victims, still waiting for basic compensation?”
The crashes are also bringing a severe bad name to Uttarakhand’s tourism industry, which has heavily promoted heli-services for the elderly and infirm during the Char Dham season.
Tour operators say bookings have dropped drastically in the past two weeks. International tourists are backing out, fearing lack of safety.
“This isn't just about crashes. It's about destroying faith in the entire pilgrimage,” said a tourism operator from Rudraprayag.
“We wanted to make Char Dham more accessible. Now, it’s being seen as a death trap.”
While the Chief Minister’s office has once again “ordered an inquiry,” neither an action-taken report nor any penal action against operators has emerged from previous accidents.
“If no one is ever punished, the crashes will continue. Helicopters will fly, fall, and kill.
And the government will issue another condolence tweet,” said Anoop Nautiyal bluntly.
With the pilgrimage season in full swing and thousands still flying daily, the fear remains: will your chopper reach the shrine—or become your pyre?
Till accountability lands, these crashes will keep taking off.
#HeliCrash #Kedarnath #CharDhamYatra #UttarakhandTourism #HelicopterAccident #DhamiGovt #HeliTragedy #PilgrimSafety #AnoopNautiyal #WhitePaperDemand #FlyingCoffins #HeliOperatorsExposed #CharDhamDisaster
Shimla, June 13 — In a shocking incident in the state capital, a young man was brutally murdered by his own cousin at a hotel near Dhalli Tunnel. The accused is on the run, police said.
The incident came to light on Friday morning when staff at Hotel Grand Majestic found Akash Sharma (23), a resident of Chandigarh, lying dead in his room with his face soaked in blood.
Police said his throat had been slit and he was also struck on the head with a beer bottle.
Akash had checked into the hotel on June 11 along with his cousin Arjun Sharma (22), a resident of Panchkula.
They had come to Shimla to celebrate a birthday, said Superintendent of Police Shimla.
“The murder took place in the early hours of June 13 following an altercation between the two. The accused, Arjun Sharma, is absconding and fled the hotel on his motorcycle,” said SP Shimla.
The crime surfaced after the hotel receptionist, Manish Thakur, received a call from an unknown number informing that Arjun had confessed to his family about the murder. On checking the room, the staff found Akash’s body and alerted the police.
An FIR under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered at Dhalli police station.
A forensic team has collected evidence from the scene and a manhunt has been launched to trace the accused.
Further investigation is underway.
#ShimlaMurder #CousinCrime #HotelKilling #DhalliPolice #HimachalNews
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