The Himachal government has approved the policy for regularisation of certain encroachments on government land, aimed at addressing the humanitarian concerns of landless families and marginal farmers who are in possession of government land for residential, agricultural and horticultural purposes.
The policy has been framed in compliance with the directions of the Supreme Court of India, and has been sent to the Government of India for approval.
In the Cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the government also decided to approve the reconsideration of claims for compassionate appointments that were earlier rejected by various departments for various reasons.
As a one-time measure, the most genuine rejected cases will be re-examined for consideration along with various needed relaxations.
The Cabinet also decided to introduce the Agriculture Loan Interest Subvention Scheme to those farmers whose land is up for auction. The government will bear 50 per cent of the interest liability on eligible agricultural loans upto Rs 3 lakh, benefiting 6,356 farmers across the state.
The Cabinet also approved filling up of 300 posts of Medical Officers and 250 posts of Class-IV/Multi Task Workers in the department of Health and Family Welfare. It also put its seal to recruit 200 staff nurses in the department of Health and Family Welfare, and fill up 162 posts in Health and Family Welfare Department, including 76 Operation Theatre Assistant, 36 Radiographer, 50 Lab Technicians Grade-II.
It decided to create and fill up 75 posts of assistant professors of various departments in different medical colleges across the State.
The Cabinet also decided to enhance the health insurance coverage under the HIMCARE Scheme by shifting it to the insurance mode. Under the revised arrangement, eligible beneficiaries will receive health insurance cover of Rs 7 lakh and Rs 10 lakh, as against the existing coverage of Rs 5 lakh.