Himachal approves Rs 1,500 monthly aid for 3.5 lakh women

The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in Shimla on Friday, approved the launch of the Mukhya Mantri Apna Parivar Sukhi Parivar Yojna, under which eligible women aged 18 to 59 will receive Rs 1,500 per month. The scheme will also provide 300 units of free electricity to eligible beneficiary families. The government has identified 3.5 lakh women for the scheme.

The Cabinet also noted that monthly financial assistance for women above 59 years had already been increased from Rs 1,050 to Rs 1,500.

It approved the launch of the Khelo Himachal Chitta Mukt Abhiyan-2026 across all 12 districts to engage young people in sports and strengthen drug prevention efforts through healthy lifestyles, discipline and community participation.

The Cabinet approved a uniform policy for determining and revising rates for selling surplus raw water to neighboring states, government agencies, and industries. An initial benchmark rate of Rs 100 per 1,000 cubic feet will apply to all existing and future state projects, including inter-state water projects. Rates will be revised periodically through a mechanism linked to the Wholesale Price Index.

In the energy sector, the Cabinet approved amendments to the Swaran Jayanti Energy Policy, 2021. Under the revised provisions, commissioned projects of Central Public Sector Undertakings will provide 50 per cent free power royalty for the first 10 years after completing 40 years of operation. The projects will be transferred to the state government free of cost after 50 years from their commissioning.

The Cabinet also approved cancellation of allotments for 222 solar power projects due to prolonged non-implementation. Allotments of 13 hydroelectric projects with capacity above 25 MW will be cancelled for non-compliance with policy provisions, while 20 projects will be re-bid.

To promote passenger transport, the Cabinet increased the subsidy for purchasing diesel buses from 30 per cent to 40 per cent under the Rajiv Gandhi Swarojgar Start-up Yojna, 2023. The subsidy will apply to buses operating on identified intra-sub-division routes.

It also approved a 50 per cent subsidy for electric buses and a 40 per cent subsidy for diesel buses with seating capacity of more than 10 passengers on two routes: Hamirpur Bus Stand to Dr Radhakrishnan Medical College, Jolsapper, and New OPD, IGMC Shimla, to Atal Institute of Medical Super Speciality, Chamiyana.

The minimum support price for naturally grown ginger was increased from Rs 30 to Rs 40 per kg. The Cabinet also raised the procurement price of C-grade apples under the Market Intervention Scheme from Rs 12 to Rs 13 per kg.

In the health sector, it approved engaging 1,000 Rogi Mitras to provide affordable, quality healthcare services. It also cleared the creation and filling of 561 Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts in government medical and dental colleges and the Directorate of Medical Education to implement the Hospital Management Information System. Data Entry Operators will also be engaged in the Health Department for the system.

The monthly emoluments of outsourced perfusionists in government medical colleges were increased from Rs 25,000 to Rs 45,000.

The Cabinet approved the creation of Departments of Geriatric Medicine, along with faculty and Senior Resident posts, at Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla; Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda; and Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Nerchowk.

It also cleared posts required for the Mother and Child Hospital Wing at Civil Hospital Nurpur and approved eight Assistant Professor posts and one Associate Professor post in various departments at Dr Radhakrishnan Government Medical College, Hamirpur.

The Cabinet granted a one-time relaxation in Rule 11 of the Himachal Pradesh Police Department (Recruitment of Constables) Rules, 2024, to allow the written examination for constable recruitment to be conducted offline instead of online. The Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission will make arrangements to conduct online examinations within six months.

Other recruitment approvals included 20 Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts in the Rural Development Department, 15 Grade-III Stenographer posts in various courts, four Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts and one Multi Task Worker post in the Treasuries, Accounts and Lotteries Department. It also approved filling three posts under the four per cent quota for persons with disabilities in the Youth Services and Sports Department.

The Cabinet approved creating a police station by upgrading Police Post Baroh in Kangra district, along with the required posts. It also cleared the opening of a police post for Dr Radhakrishnan Government Medical College, Hamirpur.

Other decisions included filling vacant posts at the newly upgraded Civil Hospital Haripurdhar in Sirmaur district and launching the Registration Sewa Kendra Project to modernize Sub-Registrar Offices on the lines of Passport Seva Kendras. The first phase will cover Solan, Shimla, Kangra and Sirmaur districts.

The Cabinet also approved leasing 2.26 hectares of land for a Central School at Ghumarwin in Bilaspur district, upgrading the District-level Phul Yatra Mela in Pangi, Chamba, to state-level status, and establishing the office of Sub Divisional Officer (Civil) at Dadasiba in Kangra district, along with the creation and filling of required posts.