The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by CM Sukhu, approved several important decisions during its meeting today. It sanctioned the recruitment of 700 Home Guard Volunteers and regularised 203 Panchayat Secretaries (Zila Parishad cadre) who have completed two years of contractual service by March 31, 2025.
In a significant policy move, the Cabinet amended the PG/Specialist Services (PG/SS) Policy, eliminating the mandatory one-year field posting for Senior Residency eligibility at IGMC Shimla and Dr. RPGMC Tanda, aligning it with AIIMS Chamiyana.
The Cabinet also approved the relocation of the RERA office from Shimla to Dharamsala and gave a green signal to the Deposit Refund Scheme 2025, aimed at reducing non-biodegradable waste through refundable deposits on packaging materials. The scheme will be launched on a pilot basis.
Other key decisions included in-principle approval for restarting the de-novo reservation roster for Panchayati Raj Institutions, permission for the HP Forest Development Corporation to collect minor minerals and conduct dredging in forest water bodies, and administrative restructuring. This includes the bifurcation of Ramshahar Elementary Education Block to create a new block at Baddi, and reorganisation of development blocks in Kangra and Hamirpur districts for better service delivery.
