Shimla-The State Cabinet, in its meeting held here today under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, decided to enhance the compensation for loss of household articles for disaster-affected families from Rs. 70,000 to Rs. 1 lakh. The Cabinet decided to provide assistance of Rs. 7 lakh as a special package in case of complete house damage in fire incidents.
It also approved Rs. 4.32 crore to the Air Force for providing helicopter services during disasters in the State. The cabinet decided to reorganize the Panchayats in the State. It was also decided to provide 150 days of employment under MNREGA and approval was given for the construction of retaining walls upto Rs 2 lakh for individual works. It decided to engage 1000 Rogi Mitras in the Health Department to ensure better patient care in the health institutions across the State.
The Cabinet approved the creation and filling up of 800 posts of constable in the Police Department. It gave its approval to open Sub Fire Centres at Kandaghat in Solan district and Rajgarh in Sirmaur district, along with the creation and filling of 46 posts of various categories and the purchase of four fire tenders for these centres.
It was also decided to fill 150 posts of Junior Engineer (Civil) as Job Trainees in the Jal Shakti Vibhag and the Public Works Department. It approved the creation of 9 super-specialty departments in Dr. Radhakrishnan Government Medical College, Hamirpur along with creation and filling up of 73 posts of Professor, Assistant Professor and Senior Residents.
The Cabinet decided to create and fill up 27 posts of Senior Residents in the Super Specialty Department at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda in Kangra district. It also decided to open a new Police Post at Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Ner Chowk in Mandi district, along with the creation and filling of requisite posts of various categories.
It decided to create and fill five posts of Junior Office Assistant (IT) in the Police Department. It also approved the creation and filling of five posts of various categories for the Digital Forensic Facility at the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, North Range, Dharamsala.
The Cabinet has decided to extend social security pensions to all persons with 40 percent and above disability by removing the existing eligibility condition that barred beneficiaries whose guardians were employees or pensioners of government or semi-government, boards and corporations.
The Cabinet decided to provide a 40 percent subsidy for conversion of 1000 petrol and diesel taxis into electric taxis under Rajiv Gandhi Swarojgar Start-Up Yojna- 2023. It decided to merge the Anti-Narcotics Task Force with the Special Task Force to create a unified Special Task Force under the Home Department, aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and establishing a single agency to comprehensively combat narcotics-related challenges. It also approved the panchayat wise Anti Chitta campaign across the state.
The Cabinet approved the purchase of ten electric bikes for highway patrolling to further strengthen road safety measures. It decided to create a new Kanungo circle at Bankhandi by bifurcating Haripur and Bilaspur Kanungo circles under Haripur tehsil in Kangra district. The Cabinet authorised the Forest Department to issue letters of intent for the grant of mineral concessions in the forest land.
It decided to expand the ‘Mukhya Mantri Laghu Dukandar Kalyan Yojna’ to benefit small vendors and retail shopkeepers in urban areas of the State with an annual turnover of less than Rs. 10 lakh. Under the expanded scheme, a one-time settlement assistance of up to Rs. 1 lakh will be provided through banks to distressed small shopkeepers who have availed business loans and have been classified as non-performing assets. This financial support will be fully borne by the State Government.
The Cabinet gave its approval to re-organize Bamson and Hamirpur Development Blocks in Hamirpur district. It also decided to convert Government College Hamirpur into a dedicated Science College along with the approval to start one unit of integrated B.Ed (B.Sc.) programme. It also gave its approval to merge Government Senior Secondary School (Boys) and Girls as Co-educational Government Senior Secondary School Hamirpur from next academic session.
It gave its nod to start 4 years integrated B.Ed. programme at Government College of Teachers Education, Dharamshala, Government College, Nadaun, Government College, Chail Koti and Government College, Tikkar, district Shimla. It also gave its approval to start 2 years B.P.Ed. Programme at Government College Saraswati Nagar, district Shimla. It also decided to introduce new Fine Arts subjects at College of Fine Arts at Loharab, district Shimla and open a new Fine Arts College by converting the existing Government Degree College, Haripur Guler in district Kangra.
The Cabinet gave its approval for convening of DPC for promotion to the post of Principal at the government level. The new DPC will be chaired by the Secretary Education and expedite the promotion of 805 Principals.