category Regional, shimla, , tags Regional, shimla, , DW BUREAU Shimla Trucks registered in other states and entering Himachal Pradesh will not need to pay a special road tax if they are transporting potatoes and apples, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said here on Friday. Trucks, not covered under the National Permit, will benefit from the exemption, which will be in force from July 20 till October 31, he said in a statement. The exemption will ensure there are adequate transportation facilities available during the busy season. The exemption will result in low transportation cost and increased income for producers, he stated. The Deputy Chief Minister, also in charge of the transport department, added that the state government is committed to the welfare of every section of society, especially at this difficult time when people are suffering from widespread destruction due to incessant rains. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday said the focus is on clearing roads in apple-growing areas to ensure smooth transportation of the produce, helping in timely delivery of their harvest, especially after some roads were adversely affected by the recent monsoon. The state government was prioritising strengthening the road from Chhaila to Yashwant Nagar via Neri Bridge. A project with an outlay of Rs 70 crore has been prepared under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund and a proposal has been submitted in this regard, he said. The Chief Minister said to enhance post-harvest storage facilities, the government plans to establish controlled atmosphere stores in key locations across the state. The stores will be set up at Bhawanagar (Kinnaur), Sandasu (Chirgaon), Anu (Jubbal), Chopal (Shimla), Jabli (Solan), Sundernagar (Mandi), Duttnagar (Rampur) and Kharapathar (Shimla). Efforts are underway to construct another such store on state government land at Kundli border near Delhi, he said. The state government was considering establishing a distillery to ensure apple growers can benefit from their produce, he said in a statement. (editor dailyworld.in)