In a meeting held on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the State Cabinet approved amendments to the existing Compassionate Employment Policy.
As per the revised policy, the annual income eligibility criterion per family has been enhanced from Rs 2.50 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.
Priority for compassionate appointments will now be given to widows and parentless applicants below 45 years of age, as well as to dependents of government officials who died while performing their duties.
Additionally, in cases where vacancies under the existing 5 per cent quota for such appointments are unavailable, the Cabinet has permitted a one-time relaxation of this quota to ensure eligible applicants are accommodated.
An official spokesperson said the Cabinet also decided to increase the number of B.Sc. Nursing seats at Sister Nivedita Government Nursing College, Shimla, from 60 to 100.
It approved the establishment of a new B.Sc. Nursing College with an annual intake of 60 seats at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Kangra at Tanda. The creation and filling of 27 posts of various categories was also sanctioned.
The spokesperson added that the Cabinet approved engagement of women workers in shops and commercial establishments during night shifts from 7:00 pm to 7:00 am to promote gender equality.
It also decided to grant maternity benefits to every woman employee working in such establishments, as prescribed under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.
The Cabinet constituted a sub-committee under the chairmanship of Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan for the development of a 300-acre Medical Device Park at Nalagarh. The sub-committee has been asked to submit its report within two months.
Amendments were also approved to the Himachal Pradesh Minor Minerals (Concession) and Minerals (Prevention of Illegal Mining, Transportation and Storage) Rules, 2015.
As per the revised provisions, contractors or agencies engaged in road cutting will now be permitted to use the generated material during de-siltation and maintenance of reservoir projects for captive purposes. Any leftover stacked raw material or finished product, along with the entire generated material, shall be auctioned by the designated committee in accordance with the prescribed procedure.
The Cabinet further approved the extension of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the State Government and Alliance Air Aviation Ltd. for operating flights on the Shimla–Dharamshala–Shimla route.
The MoU will now remain in effect from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
It allowed the cancellation of 172 small hydro projects below 5 MW under HIMURJA, where construction work had been stalled for an extended period. The cancelled projects will be re-advertised.
It was further decided to apply a uniform free power royalty of 12 per cent, along with an additional one per cent for the Local Area Development Fund, for all hydro projects up to 5 MW that will be allotted in the future.
The Cabinet also gave its approval to cancel 22 hydroelectric projects above 5 MW, where implementation agreements had not been signed. These were previously allotted by the Directorate of Energy.
For the remaining projects, developers have been given time until August 5, 2025, to submit replies to notices served. The spokesperson said a committee will also be constituted to negotiate with 14 project developers for an out-of-court settlement regarding the refund of the principal amount of upfront premium, without interest.
To facilitate the expansion of Kangra Airport, it granted a one-year extension, up to August 16, 2026, under Section 26 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, for land acquisition proceedings.
Additionally, it gave its nod to the draft Development Plan for the Dhaulakuan Majra Planning Area in Sirmaur district. The plan aims to conserve natural resources and scenic beauty while promoting sustainable economic development in the region.
It approved the reorganisation of Patwar Circle Naleti in Kangra district by excluding the areas of Mahal Masot and Balahar in Tehsil Dehra and merging them with Patwar Circle Garh under Tehsil Paragpur.
A detailed presentation was also made before the Cabinet on the issue of drug abuse in Himachal Pradesh, highlighting the challenges and ongoing efforts of the Excise and Taxation Department to combat the menace.
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