The State Cabinet in its meeting held here today decided to simplify the policy for providing employment on compassionate ground to the dependents of government servants who die while in service to benefit the maximum employees of the State Government.According to policy, now age limit condition of employee upto 50 years has been abolished and retirement age of the deceased employee will be the age limit to consider the eligibility for compassionate appointment and income criterion has been enhanced to Rs. two lakh per annum per family.Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur presided over the meeting.The Cabinet gave its nod to provide 16-11 bigha land of Industries Department at Mauza Kheri in Tehsil Nahan, district Sirmaur to Director General, ESIC for setting up of 100 bedded ESI Hospital for 95 years on lease at the rate of Rs. one per acre.It gave its approval to make certain amendments in Hydro Power Policy of the State to make it more attractive for the small power producers of less than five MW.As mark of respect to the martyr Tilak Raj of Kangra district martyred in Pulwama terrorist attack on 14th February, 2019, the Cabinet decided to provide employment as Clerk to Smt. Savitri Devi wife of the martyr in the office of Deputy Commissioner, Kangra.The Cabinet gave its approval to create four patwar circles in the State. These will be at Tikkar in Deha Sub Tehsil of Shimla district, at Bataran in Nadaun of Hamirpur district, at Gudah in Thunag tehsil and at Khoorahal in Dehar Sub Tehsil of Mandi district alongwith creation and filling up of four posts of patwari to man these patwar circles. It gave its nod to merge technical staff of H.P. State Education Society formed under District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) in HPPWD and IPH on contract basis.
It decided to open Tehsil Welfare Office at Nankhari in Shimla district alongwith creation and filling up of requisite posts to manage this office.The Cabinet put its seal to increase bed capacity of Government Ayurvedic Hospital, Rampur in district Shimla from 10 beds to 20 beds.Nod was also given to increase bed capacity of Government Ayurvedic Hospital, Jogindernagar in district Mandi from 10 beds to 30 beds.The Cabinet approved opening of regular veterinary dispensaries at village Sharati in Gram Panchayat Kholanal and at village Bakahari in Gram Panchayat Kao in Mandi district and at village Makdauli in Gram Panchayat Makdauli and at village Handal in Gram Panchayat Kohalapur in district Kangra alongwith creation and filling up of requisite posts to manage these dispensaries.It also accorded its consent to upgrade veterinary dispensary, Thauna in tehsil Sarkaghat of Mandi district to veterinary hospital alongwith creation of requisite staff.It also gave its approval to upgrade veterinary hospital Kotla Behar in district Kangra to veterinary polyclinic alongwith creation and filling up of requisite staff.It also gave its consent to open office of Police Sub Division (SDPO) at Banjar in Kullu district alongwith creation and filling up of six posts.It decided to open new polytechnic in Jaswan Pragpur Assembly constituency in Kangra district alongwith creation and filling up of 80 posts of different categories.The Cabinet gave its consent to upgrade 50 bedded Civil Hospital, Nagrota Bagwan in Kangra district to 100 bedded hospital alongwith creation of 16 posts of different categories.It gave its nod to provide one additional chance of typing test to the candidates of Class IV employees who passed the written Test conducted under Limited Direct Recruitment for post of Clerks.The Cabinet decided to enhance the authorized share capital of Himachal Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation Limited from Rs. 300 crore to Rs. 350 crore.The Cabinet gave its consent to increase the wages of Panchayat Chowkidhar from Rs. 4000 to Rs. 4500 per month from 1st April, 2019.It gave its approval to accord District level Fair status to Seraj Deep Utsav Thunag in Mandi district. It also decided to open Fire posts at Bhawanagar and Sangla in Kinnaur district alongwith creation and filling up of 12 posts of various categories to manage these fire posts.
The Cabinet put its seal to create additional 15 posts of different categories for Police Station Bhawarna in Kangra district for smooth functioning of the Station.It gave its approval to start science classes in Government Senior Secondary Schools, Galanaghat and Jadol-Taproli in Sirmaur district and Ghoond in Shimla district alongwith creation and filling up of requisite posts.The Cabinet gave its approval to new Excise Policy-2019-20 which envisages generating additional revenue of Rs. 200 crore from existing Rs. 1425 crore to Rs. 1625 crore.The Cabinet also approved allotment of vends by renewal. It also decided to reduce export duty in order to encourage export of liquor to other States. In order to encourage local distillaries units it also gave its nod to increase the import duty on liquor.It also accorded its approval for stringent provisions against over charging and under cutting of retail prices of liquor, violations by bars.It also approved to auction tolls by auction cum tender basis.The Cabinet decided to enhance the contribution of the Government under New Pension System from existing 10 percent to 14 percent of Basic Pay, DA and NPA with effect from 1st April, 2019 in favour of those employees who contributed towards New Pension System. This decision will benefit about 80,000 employees of the State Government.The Cabinet decided to open new Industrial Training Institute at Utpur in Hamirpur district alongwith creation and filling up of 26 posts of various categories.It gave its nod to sign Memorandum of Understanding with Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship for starting ‘Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement Project in the State for providing employment oriented training to the youth of the State.The Cabinet gave its approval to change the nomenclature of the post of Post Graduate Teacher as Lecturer (School-New).It also gave its approval to upgrade Government Middle School Kasba Kaleli in Kangra district, Government Middle School, Kun and Banedi in Mandi district to Government High Schools.It also gave its nod to upgrade Primary Schools Dhanewari and Kumasu-I in Shimla district and Timali in Solan district to Government Middle Schools.