Himachal Pradesh Transport Minister G S Bali today said the HP government is mulling to shift two major state corporations from Shimla to Dharamsala, in an attempt to 'lessen' the burden on the state capital.
Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's had made an announcement to declare Dharamsala the second capital of the state, early this year.
Talking to media, he said, "the headquarters of thetwo corporations working under me, namely Himachal Road Transport Corporation HRTC and HP State Civil Supplies Corporation HPCSC shall now be shifted shortly to Dharamsala, to lessen the congestion in first capital Shimla and to give strength to the second capital Dharamsala."
Bali said that he will discuss the matter in detail with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and if he agrees, will shift the headquarters of few other state corporations too to Dharamsala.
Bali said that since he took over the transport ministry in 2012, the fleet of buses in HRTC has risen from 1700 to 3200. This includes 135 Volvo Super luxury buses, he added.
While endorsing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emphasis for a cashless society, he said the state transport corporation is also going in that direction.
"From today, March 15, all the 51 booking centers of HRTC shall provide card swipe facility to the travellers," he said.
HDFC bank is providing the machines for this purpose, he added.
"The bank is also training the conductors of HRTCto operate these card swipe machines. The conductors of the Volvo ACbuses shall be immediatelyprovided with these machines. The process to provide swipe machines to conductors of350 km long routebuseswill be completed in next 6 months," he said, adding the aim of HRTC is to digitalise its entire fleet soon.
He said, "the civil supplies corporation have already started the work to digitaliseall 269 fair price outlets in the state and the public shall get this facility from 1st of April this year.
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