Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 10 (ANI): The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, on Saturday approved a series of decisions covering government recruitment, education, healthcare, agriculture, disaster relief, social security, policing, tourism and infrastructure development.
The Cabinet approved the engagement of 4,090 para-workers, including Para Pump Operators, Para Fitters and Multipurpose Workers, in the Jal Shakti Vibhag. It also approved recruitment to 3,900 teaching and 900 non-teaching posts under a new scheme for 100 additional schools to be affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). A new scheme will be formulated for these schools.
The Cabinet also approved a Limited Direct Recruitment (LDR) test for left-out School Management Committee (SMC) teachers, including Post Graduate Teachers (PGTs) and Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs). Computer teachers already working in government schools on an outsourced basis will also be considered for recruitment through LDR.
In the education sector, the Cabinet approved filling 320 Assistant Professor (College Cadre) posts under the backlog quota and appointing 29 Junior Office Assistants (IT) on compassionate grounds in the Education Department. It also approved the creation and filling of 14 posts in the first phase of a separate Directorate of Recruitment.
The Cabinet approved a policy for engaging Assistant Craft Instructors, Assistant Lecturers in polytechnics and Junior Professors in engineering and pharmacy in the Department of Technical Education, Vocational and Industrial Training. It also approved filling 40 Assistant Lecturer and 120 Assistant Craft Instructor posts.
The department will be renamed the Department of Technical Education, Skill and Entrepreneurship Development.
The Cabinet approved filling 500 Assistant Staff Nurse posts in the Health Department and 24 Medical Officer posts, including specialists and super-specialists, at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (Dr RPGMC), Tanda.
In the Department of Medical Education, it approved filling 30 Radiologist, 13 Clinical Psychologist and six Perfusionist posts. Ten Radiographer posts were also approved for Adarsh Swasthya Sansthan under the Health Department.
The Cabinet approved the establishment of two independent super-speciality departments—Critical Care Medicine and Surgical Gastroenterology—along with strengthening the supporting departments of Blood Transfusion, Anaesthesia and Radiology through the creation of requisite posts.
It also approved the establishment of a Government Nursing College at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Government Medical College, Chamba, with 60 seats for B.Sc Nursing.
In the Public Works Department (PWD), 172 Multi-Task Worker posts and 10 Junior Engineer (Civil) posts were approved. The Cabinet also cleared 10 Range Forest Officer posts in the Forest Department and the creation and filling of 500 Assistant Forest Guard posts under an approved engagement policy.
The Horticulture Department will fill 40 Horticulture Extension Officer posts, five Senior Assistant posts and 10 Horticulture Development Officer posts.
The Cabinet approved filling 116 posts of various categories in the Animal Husbandry Department, 18 Assistant Treasury Officer posts in the Department of Treasuries, Accounts and Lotteries, 10 Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts in the State Taxes and Excise Department and 13 Election Kanungo posts in the Election Department.
It also approved the creation and filling of seven posts in the Directorate of Treasuries, Accounts and Lotteries, five posts of various categories in the Directorate of Forensic Services and 10 posts for the Mother and Child Hospital (MCH), Kullu.
The Cabinet cleared two Junior Registrar and 30 Assistant Inspector posts in the Cooperation Department, one Motor Vehicle Inspector and one Junior Office Assistant (IT) post for the Regional Transport Office at Dehra in Kangra district, and one Junior Office Assistant (IT) and one Multi-Task Worker post at Community Health Centre, Kupvi, in Shimla district.
It also approved filling two Sub-Editor posts in the Department of Information and Public Relations.
The Cabinet approved 27 posts of various categories under the four per cent quota for persons with disabilities, along with 11 Multi-Task Worker posts. It also approved the creation of three Private Secretary posts, one each for the Family Courts at Shimla, Mandi and Kangra at Dharamshala.
Additionally, two posts of Junior Office Assistant (IT) and 10 other posts were approved under the respective departmental proposals, while the Cabinet cleared the creation and filling of 26 posts of various categories for the Durgasharanya Kangra International Zoological Park.
The Cabinet approved an increase of ₹1,000 per month in the honorarium of Anganwadi Workers, from ₹10,500 to ₹11,500, and Anganwadi Helpers, from ₹5,800 to ₹6,800.
It also raised the annual income ceiling for the appointment of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers from ₹50,000 to ₹75,000 for widows, destitute women and single women.
The monthly honorarium of Van Mitras was increased from ₹10,000 to ₹12,000. Special Police Officers (SPOs) deployed in border areas will receive an additional ₹500 per month, with effect from April 1, 2026.
The Cabinet decided to increase the monthly pension for persons with 100 per cent disability to ₹3,000, effective April 1, 2026.
It also approved enhanced financial assistance under the President’s Merits Assistance Scheme for Home Guard Volunteers and their families in cases of sudden and unforeseen acute distress, including illness or injury. The assistance has been increased from ₹10,000 to ₹25,000, while ₹1 lakh will be provided in the event of death.
Cook-cum-helpers engaged in government schools under the PM-POSHAN Scheme will be entitled to 12 days of casual leave in a calendar year.
The Cabinet approved a special relief package for disaster-affected families in the Boh Valley of Kangra district.
Under the package, families whose houses have been completely damaged will receive ₹7.50 lakh in financial assistance, while ₹1 lakh will be provided to compensate for the loss of household belongings. The affected families will also receive rental assistance of ₹5,000 and free rations for six months.
The package provides compensation of ₹55,000 for the loss of a buffalo and ₹15,000 for the loss of a goat or sheep. Financial assistance of ₹1 lakh will be provided for losses incurred in fisheries.
For agricultural losses, assistance of ₹2,000 per kanal will be provided for crop damage, while ₹5,000 will be given for damage to agricultural land.
The Cabinet also approved additional funding of ₹603 crore for the continuation and expansion of interventions under the Integrated Development Project for Sustainability and Climate-Resilient Rainfed Agriculture in Solan district, including ongoing and adjoining additional Gram Panchayats.
The Cabinet approved doubling the assistance under the Milk Incentive Scheme from ₹3 to ₹6 per litre to benefit thousands of dairy farmers.
It also decided that government departments would procure their milk and milk product requirements from Milkfed to ensure assured market support for dairy farmers.
The Cabinet approved the Mukhyamantri Machhuara Sahayata Yojana to ensure remunerative prices for fishermen operating in reservoirs. Under the scheme, a minimum support price of ₹100 per kg will be offered for reservoir fish. If fish is sold through auction at a price below ₹100 per kg, the state government will provide a subsidy of up to ₹20 per kg.
The Trout Risk Fund Scheme was also approved with an outlay of ₹1 crore to protect trout farmers against losses caused by disasters.
The Cabinet approved the establishment of two dedicated courts, one each in Kangra and Mandi districts, exclusively for the trial of cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
It also approved the opening of a new police post at Koti under Dhalli police station in Shimla district, along with the creation and filling of eight posts of various categories.
The Cabinet approved opening a new Jal Shakti Section at Darini in the Shahpur Assembly constituency of Kangra district, along with the creation of requisite posts.
It also approved upgrading Primary Health Centre (PHC) Darini (Ridkumar) to a Community Health Centre (CHC) and opening new PHCs at Sansal in Kangra district and Panjoa in Una district, with the creation and filling of the requisite posts.
The Cabinet also approved the transfer of two parcels of land to the Department of School Education, Government of India, for the construction of Kendriya Vidyalayas at Gokul Nagar in Ghanari tehsil of Una district and Fuftu in Kotkhai tehsil of Shimla district.
The Cabinet approved cancellation of the allotment of 33 small hydroelectric power projects, each with an installed capacity of less than 5 MW, citing a lack of seriousness on the part of developers in pursuing the projects.
It also decided to invite fresh bids for the 126 MW Chhatru and 205 MW Ropa I and III power projects.
The Cabinet approved the redevelopment of Chotta Shimla Chowk and the construction of an underpass to facilitate public movement.
It also decided to establish a City Centre at the old bus stand in Hamirpur and approved an Inter-State Bus Terminal at Shitalpur in Baddi, Solan district.
An eight-storey multi-level parking facility-cum-toilet complex will be constructed at Shri Baba Balak Nath Temple, Deotsidh, in Hamirpur district to facilitate visitors.
The Cabinet decided to accord international status to the state-level Holi Mela at Sujanpur.
It also approved the allotment of nine ecotourism sites for undertaking ecotourism activities and decided to take over the management of Pir Nigah Temple in Una district.
The Cabinet approved the creation and filling of 26 posts for the Durgasharanya Kangra International Zoological Park.
The Cabinet approved amendments to the provisions governing cash awards for members of Indian teams winning medals at international-level sporting events.
Under the revised provisions, the cash award may be distributed equally among all eligible sportspersons from Himachal Pradesh who are members of the medal-winning Indian team, with each receiving the same amount prescribed for an individual medal winner. Alternatively, the award may be distributed proportionately, subject to a minimum guaranteed award of 25 per cent of the cash award prescribed for an individual medal winner.
The Cabinet also approved the creation of posts of District Youth Services and Sports Officers (DYSOs) for international-level medal winners.
A sub-committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri was constituted to formulate comprehensive guidelines regulating the transfer of state government employees to their home districts and within the same district. Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar and Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi will be its members.
The Cabinet also approved guidelines for the design, construction and certification of ambulance link roads, formally recognising them as a separate category to facilitate road connectivity to the maximum possible extent.
The Cabinet approved amendments to the Himachal Pradesh E-Stamping Rules, 2026, to provide statutory recognition to digital stamping and enable the use of digital stamping services.
It approved the Nutrition Policy 2026 and decided to extend the HPSHIVA project by two years beyond June 2028, until June 2030.
The Cabinet also approved renaming the Himachal Pradesh Government Dental College and Hospital, Shimla, as the Rajiv Gandhi Government Dental College and Hospital, Shimla.
It approved the creation and filling of 10 posts of various categories for the Mother and Child Hospital, Kullu, and the establishment of 26 posts for the Durgasharanya Kangra International Zoological Park, as part of its decisions on public services and infrastructure.
The Cabinet also approved a policy for the engagement of Assistant Forest Guards in the Forest Department, paving the way for filling 500 posts, and approved the creation and filling of 14 posts in the first phase for a separate Directorate of Recruitment.
The decisions aim to strengthen public services, expand healthcare and educational infrastructure, support vulnerable sections and disaster-affected families, and improve livelihood opportunities across Himachal Pradesh. (ANI)
Related reading
