The State Cabinet in its meeting held here today under the Chairmanship of the Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu paid tributes to those who lost their lives in the cloudbursts that occurred in Kullu, Mandi and Shimla districts on 1st August this month.
Expressing solidarity with the grieving families it was decided to provide financial assistance to the disaster-affected families. It was decided to provide Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 5,000 per month as rental expenses in urban and rural areas respectively to those whose homes were completely damaged. Besides, it was decided to provide free ration, LPG re-fills, utensils, and bedding for a period of three months, from 1st August, 2024, to 31st October, 2024. Additionally, an immediate financial relief of Rs. 50,000 will be disbursed to families affected by the cloudbursts.
The Cabinet decided to create and fill up 462 posts of various categories in Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda including 14 posts of Medical Officers and four posts each of Psychiatrist and Clinical Psychologist, 300 posts of staff nurses, two posts of Radiographer, 47 posts of ward boy, four posts of Operation Theatre Assistant, two posts of Transplant Coordinator, 10 posts of Data Entry Operator, five posts of class-IV, 40 posts of Safai Karamchari and 30 posts of Security Guards.
Additionally, it was also decided to create and fill up 489 posts of various categories in IGMC Shimla and Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialty Chamiyana. This includes 21 posts of Specialist Medical Officers in IGMC Shimla and seven posts of Super-specialty Medical Officers in Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialties, Chamiyana. It gave its nod to fill up 400 posts of Staff nurses, 43 posts of Operation Theatre Assistants, 11 posts of nursing orderly cum dressers, two posts of dieticians, one post of physiotherapist and four posts of data entry operators.
The Cabinet decided to amend the Himachal Pradesh Minor Minerals (Concession) and Minerals (Prevention of Illegal Mining, Transportation and Storage) Rules, 2015. Under the new provisions, suitable private lands available for mining in the State could be put to auction for extraction of minerals with the consent of the land owners for which 80 percent of annual bid amount shall be offered to the land owners.
Additionally, to promote systematic, scientific, sustainable mining and to meet the growing demand of minerals, the use of machinery for mineral excavations in the riverbeds is allowed. The depth of mining in riverbeds is enhanced from existing one meter to two meters. The provision has been made to allow removal of sand and gravel from agriculture field’s upto the depth of two meters after every monsoon season and it will be treated as non mining activity.
Furthermore, the new amendments allow charging rupees five per tonne as Electric Vehicle charges, rupees five per tonne as online charges and rupees two per tonne as milk cess. For the usage of materials generated due to non mining activities, a processing charge equivalent to 75 percent of royalty (Rs. 140 per tonne) shall be payable to the government.
To promote natural farming in the State, the Cabinet decided to implement the HIM-UNNATI scheme, using a cluster-based approach for the production and certification of chemical-free produce and aims to establish 2,600 agricultural groups, involving approximately 50,000 farmers. The scheme will provide essential capacity-building training and financial assistance to strengthen the farming community’s economy. Additionally, it plans to procure natural farming wheat at Rs. 40 per kg and maize at Rs. 30 per kg.
The Cabinet constituted a Sub-Committee, chaired by Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar, with Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi and Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan as members, to address the issue of Gram Panchayat Veterinary Assistants in the Animal Husbandry Department and submit its recommendations.
It decided that all Police personnel, Jail officials, H.P. Secretariat Security Service staff availing concessional travelling facility in HRTC buses will get reimbursement of their official travel on actual basis. It gave its consent to relax the 60:40 condition under the State Transport Policy, 2014, for the re-allotment of 168 routes to private operators in the State.
Additionally, the Cabinet approved the notification of the Himachal Pradesh (Annual Performance Appraisal Report) Rules, 2024, aimed at linking APAR with measurable work outputs. The new rules introduce numerical grading for officer assessments, replacing descriptive grading and enforce strict timelines for APAR completion, with a deadline of December 31st each year.
The Cabinet has approved comprehensive guiding principles for restructuring the State Taxes and Excise Department into two separate wings. This initiative aims to streamline operations, enhance efficiency and boost revenue. Under the new provisions, Assistant Excise Officers and Excise and Taxation Inspectors are required to serve a minimum of three years in their respective wings.
The Cabinet gave its approval to bring the recruitment process for the post of Police Constable within the purview of Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission. The Cabinet gave its approval to create an Environment Cell in the Directorate of Urban Development with the creation of five posts of different categories to monitor waste management activities.
The cabinet also decided to create and fill up 12 posts of Assistant District Attorneys in the Prosecutions Department. It also decided to create and fill up 12 posts of various categories for newly opened Jal Shakti Sub Division, Kanjiyan, sections at Samirpur and Bhareri in Hamirpur district.
The Cabinet decided to create and fill up eight posts of various categories in the newly opened Bharoli Sub Tehsil of Kangra district. It also decided to fill up five posts of Assistant Conservator of Forests in the Forest Department. The Cabinet gave its approval to create and fill up six posts of various categories for newly created Police Post Galore in Hamirpur district.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
