The Himachal Pradesh cabinet on Monday okayed the filling up of more than 4,200 posts in the Electricity, Revenue, Health, and Panchayati Raj departments.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, cleared the appointment of 1,602 bijli upbhogta mitras in the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited to address the shortage of field staff and improve consumer services. It also approved the recruitment of 1,000 T/Mates, an entry-level technical position.
In the Revenue Department, the cabinet gave the go-ahead to fill 645 posts of patwaris on a trainee basis. It also decided to engage 300 job trainees in gram panchayats to create a pool of trained manpower for Panchayati Raj institutions, who will work on a fixed monthly stipend.
To strengthen healthcare services in the state, the cabinet approved the hiring of 200 medical officers and 400 staff nurses as job trainees across the state’s health facilities and medical colleges. In addition, 38 posts of assistant professors will be created and filled in medical colleges, along with 25 steno-typist posts in the state secretariat.
The cabinet also cleared the filling of required posts for police stations at Parwanoo and Dharampur in Solan district to improve policing on the national highway. It approved restructuring of the Environment, Science, Technology and Climate Change Department, along with the creation of five new posts of different categories.
On the employees’ front, the cabinet decided to withdraw the September 6 notification on higher grade pay, which would have caused losses of Rs 5,000–15,000 per month to around 14,000 employees. The notification had already been put on hold on September 8 after protests from staff.
Further, the cabinet approved affiliation of 100 government schools with the CBSE from the next academic session.
To boost employment in tourism, the government gave its nod to launch the Chief Minister Start-Up Scheme in the Hospitality Industry. The scheme will provide interest subsidies on loans for new homestays and for upgrading existing ones—3 per cent in urban areas, 4 per cent in rural areas, and 5 per cent in tribal areas.
In another move to expand healthcare, the cabinet approved setting up 28 dialysis centres in Adarsh Swasthya Sansthans across nine districts, so that patients can access treatment closer to home.
The cabinet also amended rules to allow 10 per cent of the Local Area Development Fund (LADF) to be used for financial assistance to children of the state. It approved changes to the Himachal Pradesh Rajya Chayan Aayog Rules, 2024, to give more time to OBC, EWS, and BPL candidates to submit certificates if they are not available at the time of application.
To regulate construction in villages, the cabinet approved model by-laws, keeping in mind the damage seen during recent monsoon disasters.
The government authorised trained police constables to investigate cases with punishments of up to three years’ imprisonment or a fine. It also amended Rule-7 of the H.P. Lease Rules, 2013, to allow land lease in favour of HIMUDA for 80 years, helping the authority continue providing affordable housing.
To strengthen adventure tourism safety, it was decided to make it mandatory for all tandem pilots registered with the Department of Tourism to complete the simulation during flights on or before August 31, 2026, ensuring the safety of tourists engaged in paragliding activities.
It also approved leasing land for a green hydrogen plant and solar/CBG power projects at 13 sites in the state. Additionally, the period for land acquisition for the Kangra Airport expansion has been extended by 24 months, until June 3, 2026.
Also Read: Union minister Tamta inspects four-lane project in Bilaspur
Follow us
