Shimla, Aug. 14 -- After facing difficulties in carrying out its annual road-tarring targets under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) due to a sharp increase in bitumen prices, the Himachal Pradesh government has agreed to an enhancement in the rates, said public works and urban development minister, Vikramaditya Singh on Thursday. Singh was speaking to the media on the sidelines of flagging off the first batch of 18 electric buses for Shimla Rural from Shimla. Singh said, "Owing to sharp increase in bitumen prices, the government had also faced difficulties in carrying out its annual road-tarring targets under the PMGSY due to a sharp increase in bitumen prices". The minister said the government had subsequently agreed to an enhancement in the rates and that regular tarring works would be taken up after the monsoon. Singh said, "The government normally sets a target of around 35-40 km of tarring per division every year, but several works could not be executed this year despite tenders having been awarded because bitumen prices rose sharply in March and April owing to West Asia conflict." Singh on Thursday also flagged off the first batch of 18 electric buses for Shimla Rural from Shimla. He said that the government has approved 30 such buses for his assembly constituency and will address the long-standing shortage of public transport. Singh said the 18 buses would initially operate on routes covering the panchayats in the Tutu area, benefiting government employees commuting to Shimla as well as farmers, horticulturists and other residents travelling to the state capital on a daily basis....