Shimla: A meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet was held on Saturday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, where several key decisions related to the state were taken. Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi shared details of the decisions after the meeting.
The cabinet decided to invite objections and suggestions from the public on proposed amendments to Rules 28, 87, 88, and 89 of the Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj (Election) Rules, 1994. According to the proposal, the year 2010 will be considered the base year, and panchayats that have remained reserved for two consecutive terms will not be reserved again in the upcoming elections. This effectively prepares the ground for applying the reservation roster as it stood at the end of 2010 in Panchayati Raj elections.
Changes in Social Security Pension Rules
The cabinet also approved amendments to the Himachal Pradesh Social Security Pension Rules, 2010. The term “destitute” has been clearly redefined, and the certification process for receiving pension benefits has been simplified. Women abandoned by their husbands, not living with them, and having no independent source of income will now be considered destitute women under the revised rules.
Financial aid under energy policy
Under the Swarn Jayanti Energy Policy, the cabinet decided to allocate 40 percent of the Local Area Development Fund to provide financial assistance to “Children of the State.” It also approved the cancellation of 15 hydropower projects that failed to start operations on time despite availing benefits under the one-time amnesty scheme.
10 MW hydropower project in Pandoh
The cabinet decided to allot a 10 MW small hydropower project in Pandoh to the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), with the condition that unused land will be returned to the state government. The project will provide the state with 13 percent free power and an additional 5 percent share of electricity.
Village schemes handed over to panchayats
The cabinet approved handing over the operation and maintenance of infrastructure established in villages under single-village and multi-village water supply schemes to gram panchayats.
Regional milk producers union in Dhagwar
Approval was given to establish a Regional Cooperative Milk Producers Union Limited in Dhagwar, covering milk producers from Kangra, Hamirpur, Chamba, and Una districts. The management and operations of the Dhagwar Milk Processing Plant will be overseen by the National Dairy Development Board as the administrator.
Chandigarh–Shimla heli taxi expansion
The cabinet approved increasing heli taxi services on the Chandigarh–Shimla route from three to 12 flights per week. The service will operate twice daily for six days a week, with the state government providing viability gap funding to support operations.
Approval to fill several posts
The cabinet approved filling 60 junior assistant professor posts in government engineering and pharmacy colleges under the technical education department. It also approved filling two posts of Assistant Registrar and 30 posts of Inspector in the Cooperation Department. In addition, 16 coach positions in sports hostels and three Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts in the Information and Public Relations Department will be filled.
Other key decisions
The capacity of the sports hostel at Kharidi in Hamirpur district will be increased to 100 beds and developed as a state-level Centre of Sports Excellence. The cabinet also approved the establishment of a Sub-Divisional Police Office in Gagret, Una district.
Approval was granted to transfer land for opening a new Kendriya Vidyalaya in Kotkhai of Shimla district. The police post at Kotla in Nurpur police district will be upgraded to a police station, and the fire post at Tahliwal in Una district will be upgraded to a sub-fire station.
Changes in HIMUDA lease rules
The cabinet approved amendments to lease rules in favour of the Himachal Pradesh Housing and Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA), allowing land to be leased for up to 80 years instead of the earlier limit of 40 years.
It was also decided to regularise the services of part-time water carriers in the education department who have completed 11 years of service by March 31, 2025, including seven years as part-time workers and four years as daily wagers.
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