Chief Minister, Shri Virbhadra Singh presided over the Cabinet meeting held here today. The Cabinet gave consent for issuance of Letter of Intent to the applicants for grant of mining leases/renewal of mining lease, enabling them to apply for Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) clearance and completing other formalities. The Letter of Intent will be issued at the directorate level in those cases where government has agreed in principal for grant/renewal of mining lease.The Cabinet decided to amend ‘Financial Assistance and Support Services to victim of rape: a Scheme for restorative justice’. Now, the assistance will be available in those cases where the FIR has been registered on or after the date on which State and District level Criminal Relief and Rehabilitation Boards were constituted or notified (i.e. on 21st May, 2011). It was also decided to rename the scheme as Himachal Pradesh Financial Assistance and Support Services to victims of rape Scheme-2012.
Decision has been taken to shift the PWD Sub-pision (Horticulture) from Shimla back to Solan.
The Cabinet decided to re-look into the amendments made in certain clauses of the hydro power policy by the previous Government.The decision was taken to continue with the existing policy of sanctioning cases of compassionate appointments with the approval of Finance Department. The Finance Department will sanction the cases of compassionate appointments on the basis of seniority as per the date of the death of the deceased government employee and eligibility.
Cabinet also granted its approval for budget estimates of the financial year 2013-14.
It also approved for filling up of 11 vacant posts of Tehsil Welfare Officer’s through direct recruitment on contract basis. It was decided to fill up nine vacant posts of Child Development Project Officer in Social Justice and Empowerment Department by direct recruitment on contract basis.
The decision has been taken to grant ex-post facto approval for depositing tax under Rule 40 (1) of H.P Value Added Tax Rules. As per the Rules, every registered dealer is required to furnish self-assess return quarterly, but due to heavy snowfall in tribal areas of the State, the dealers of Kinnaur district could not file their returns in time, i.e. 31 January, 2012 and they were granted extension up to 28 February, 2013.
The cabinet gave sanction for creation of one post of Advisor (Media) in favour of Subhash Ahluwalia (Retd.), IAS, as co-terminus in Information and Public Relations Department.It was also decided to restore the status-quo with reference to provisions in the post of R&P Rules for the post of Supervisor in the Social Justice and Empowerment Department.
The Cabinet also made a decision to insert new provisions in the H.P. Liquor License Rules, 1986, for grant of Ahatha License in rural areas of the State. It was observed that Liquor was being consumed on the way side Dhabas etc. in remote and distance rural localities of the State without holding any license from Excise department.The Cabinet also reviewed various decisions taken by the previous Government during the last six months of its tenure.