Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], November 24 : The State Cabinet, in its meeting held here on Monday under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, decided to enhance the compensation for loss of household articles for disaster-affected families from Rs 70,000 to Rs 1 lakh, an official statement said.
The Cabinet decided to provide assistance of Rs 7 lakh as a special package in case of complete house damage in fire incidents.
It also approved Rs 4.32 crore to the Air Force for providing helicopter services during disasters in the State.
The cabinet decided to reorganise the Panchayats in the state.
It was also decided to provide 150 days of employment under MNREGA, and approval was given for the construction of retaining walls upto Rs 2 lakh for individual works.
It decided to engage 1000 Rogi Mitras in the Health Department to ensure better patient care in the health institutions across the State.
The Cabinet approved the creation and filling up of 800 posts of constables in the Police Department.
According to the statement, the cabinet also gave its approval to open sub-fire centres at Kandaghat in the Solan district and Rajgarh in the Sirmaur district, along with the creation and filling of 46 posts of various categories and the purchase of four fire tenders for these centres.
It was also decided to fill 150 posts of Junior Engineer (Civil) as Job Trainees in the Jal Shakti Vibhag and the Public Works Department.
It approved the creation of 9 super-speciality departments in Radhakrishnan Government Medical College, Hamirpur, along with the creation and filling up of 73 posts of Professor, Assistant Professor and Senior Residents, the statement added .
The Cabinet decided to create and fill up 27 posts of Senior Residents in the Super Speciality Department at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, in Kangra district.
It also decided to open a new police post at Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Ner Chowk, in Mandi district, along with the creation and filling of requisite posts of various categories.
It decided to create and fill five posts of Junior Office Assistant (IT) in the Police Department.
It also approved the creation and filling of five posts of various categories for the Digital Forensic Facility at the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, North Range, Dharamsala.
The Cabinet has decided to extend social security pensions to all persons with 40 per cent and above disability by removing the existing eligibility condition that barred beneficiaries whose guardians were employees or pensioners of government or semi-government, boards and corporations, the statement added.
The Cabinet decided to provide a 40 per cent subsidy for the conversion of 1000 petrol and diesel taxis into electric taxis under Rajiv Gandhi Swarojgar Start-Up Yojna- 2023.
Additionally, the statement said that the cabinet decided to merge the Anti-Narcotics Task Force with the Special Task Force to create a unified Special Task Force under the Home Department, aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and establishing a single agency to comprehensively combat narcotics-related challenges. It also approved the panchayat-wise Anti-Chitta campaign across the state.
The Cabinet approved the purchase of ten electric bikes for highway patrolling to further strengthen road safety measures.
It decided to create a new Kanungo circle at Bankhandi by bifurcating Haripur and Bilaspur Kanungo circles under Haripur tehsil in Kangra district.
The Cabinet authorised the Forest Department to issue letters of intent for the grant of mineral concessions in the forest land.
It decided to expand the 'Mukhya Mantri Laghu Dukandar Kalyan Yojna' to benefit small vendors and retail shopkeepers in urban areas of the State with an annual turnover of less than Rs 10 lakh. Under the expanded scheme, a one-time settlement assistance of up to Rs 1 lakh will be provided through banks to distressed small shopkeepers who have availed business loans and have been classified as non-performing assets. This financial support will be fully borne by the State Government, the statement said.
The Cabinet gave its approval to reorganise the Bamson and Hamirpur Development Blocks in Hamirpur district.
It also decided to convert Government College Hamirpur into a dedicated Science College, along with the approval to start one unit of the integrated B.Ed (B.Sc..) programme. It also gave its approval to merge Government Senior Secondary School (Boys) and Girls as a co-educational Government Senior Secondary School, Hamirpur, from the next academic session.
It gave its nod to start 4 years integrated B.Ed. programme at Government College of Teachers Education, Dharamshala, Government College, Nadaun, Government College, Chail Koti and Government College, Tikkar, district Shimla.
Further, the statement said that it also gave its approval to start 2 2-year B.P.Ed. Programme at Government College, Saraswati Nagar, district Shimla. It also decided to introduce new Fine Arts subjects at the College of Fine Arts at Loharab, district Shimla, and open a new Fine Arts College by converting the existing Government Degree College, Haripur Guler, in district Kangra.
The Cabinet gave its approval for convening of DPC for promotion to the post of Principal at the government level. The new DPC will be chaired by the Secretary of Education and will expedite the promotion of 805 principals.