Important decisions were taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on Friday. Revenue Minister Jagat Negi said that the employees who have been appointed since May 15, 2003 will be given old pension.
Contribution to the New Pension Scheme will stop from 1 April 2023. Employees who want to take advantage of the old pension scheme will have to give consent in writing.
The state government will also give an option to the employees to stay in NPS. Himachal Pradesh has made a new model for the restoration of old pension.
The state has not adopted the model of any other state. An additional annual expenditure of about 1000 crores will be incurred on the state government for giving old pension.
During the cabinet meeting, a proposal was also passed to return Rs 8000 crore to the state deposited under the National Pension System from the central government.
From April 1, 2023, on what basis and how the GPF will be deducted under the old pension, the Finance Department has been asked to make detailed rules.
In the cabinet meeting, it was decided to appoint 780 ASHA workers on incentive basis under the National Health Mission.
It will act as a health worker in providing accessible and reliable healthcare facilities at the community level.
In the meeting, approval was also accorded to the guidelines for appointing ASHA service providers (facilitators) under the Community Process Program of the National Health Mission.
The Cabinet also approved the transfer of Rs.600 per student through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the girl students of classes I to VIII belonging to SC, ST, and BPL families.
This amount will be transferred to the name of these students or their mother for school uniform and about 3.70 lakh students of the state will be benefitted by this.
The cabinet also gave its approval to lease out toll barriers for the year 2023-24 through auction and tender process under the Himachal Pradesh Tolls Act, 1975.
Also approved the rationalization of engineering staff of Forest Department and the services of these 26 engineering staff will be absorbed in Public Works Department, Jal Shakti Department, Himachal Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation, Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board and Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited.
The Cabinet gave its approval to include civil area outside Yol Khas Cantonment Board in adjoining Gram Panchayats Rakkar, Baghni, Tangorti Khas and Narwana Khas.
The cabinet approved the repeal of the Himachal Pradesh Loktantra Prahari Samman Act, 2021 and the Himachal Pradesh Loktantra Prahari Samman Rules, 2022.
In the meeting, it was decided to fill the post of Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Medicine in Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Ner Chowk, Mandi for the convenience of the people of the area.