Several important decisions were taken at the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet meeting held on Saturday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. The cabinet also discussed the Panchayat elections. Elections are proposed to be held in December, but holding them on time is difficult.
Himachal Cabinet: Panchayats will be reorganized before the elections, the tenure of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor extended, and decisions on jobs were also made. The Cabinet discussed the state’s situation due to the disaster. Cabinet Minister Harsh Vardhan Chauhan hinted that the Panchayat elections may not be held on time.
Chauhan stated that road infrastructure in many parts of the state has not yet been strengthened. Furthermore, several pre-pandemic formalities remain pending, and a decision on the election date can only be made after these are completed.
Panchayats will be reorganized
The process of reorganizing the Panchayats in Himachal will be initiated. The Cabinet has issued orders to the Panchayati Raj Department in this regard.
The tenure of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Municipal Corporation has been extended.
The tenure of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor in Himachal’s Municipal Corporation will now be five years. Previously, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor were re-elected from among the councilors after two and a half years. This decision was taken at the state cabinet meeting held on Saturday.
There was horse-trading.
Speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, Industry and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harsh Vardhan Chauhan stated that the two and a half year tenure of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor had led to horse-trading. In light of this, the tenure has been extended to five years.
The special package will now be available throughout the state.
It has been decided to implement the special relief package for disaster-affected people across the state. Currently, relief funds were being provided only to Mandi district. However, the first installment of four lakh rupees will be issued to those whose houses were destroyed across the state. Harsh Vardhan Chauhan said that those whose houses were partially damaged during the monsoon will receive one and a half lakh rupees in a single installment.
Discussion on Special Package of 1500 Crore
He said, “The Cabinet also discussed the special package of 1500 crore rupees announced by Prime Minister Modi. However, the relief funds have not yet been received from the Center. Nevertheless, the state government will continue to assist the disaster-affected people from its own funds.”
Disaster-affected people will receive an initial installment of 4 lakh rupees.
Disaster-affected people will receive 4 lakh rupees as the first installment. The government will provide a total of 7 lakh rupees to disaster-affected people for house construction. Hundreds of people were rendered homeless during the rainy season due to the disaster. The government will provide financial assistance to these people for resettlement.
15 Days of Paternity Leave for Contract Employees
The Cabinet also decided to grant 15 days of paternity leave to male contract employees in the state.
3 Primary Schools to Open
It has been decided to refer the matter regarding filling 800 principal positions in Himachal Pradesh government schools to the department. It has been decided to open three primary schools in Solan district. These schools will be located in the Baddi area.
1,000 diesel and petrol taxis will be converted to electric vehicles.
The state government has taken another important decision towards making Himachal a green state. Under this initiative, the Transport Department has been approved to convert 1,000 existing diesel and petrol taxis into electric taxis. A 40 percent subsidy has been provided under the Rajiv Gandhi Self-Employment Scheme.
Sub-Committee Formed Under the Chairmanship of Jagat Singh Negi
The Cabinet approved the establishment of a streamlined mechanism for the effective implementation and monitoring of the Prakritik Kheti Khushal Kisan Yojana and the Himachal Pradesh Crop Diversification Project (JICA Phase-2).
It was decided to constitute a Cabinet sub-committee, chaired by Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, to prepare model bye-laws for gram panchayats to regulate construction activities in rural areas.
Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh, Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh, and Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani will be members of this committee.
Subsidy on Solar Power Projects
The Cabinet approved amendments to the Ground Mounted Solar Power Project Scheme. This scheme will now be called the Rajiv Gandhi Self-Employment Solar Energy Scheme, under which projects ranging from 100 kilowatts to 2 megawatts will receive a 5 percent interest subsidy in tribal areas and a 4 percent interest subsidy in non-tribal areas.
Nahan Medical College to Expand
Approval was also granted for construction on newly selected land for the expansion of Nahan Medical College. The department was also granted retrospective approval to regularize permission for new PG and super specialty courses.
Decision to Declaration of Nodal Agency
Furthermore, decisions were taken to amend the Himachal Pradesh Town and Country Planning Rules, 2014, establish the Tourism Investment Promotion Council, and declare the Himachal Pradesh General Industries Corporation as the nodal agency for the procurement, storage, transportation, and supply of spirits for the pharmaceutical industry.
Approval to Establish a Tourism Investment Promotion Council
The Cabinet has approved the establishment of a Tourism Investment Promotion Council in Himachal. The Chief Minister will be its chairperson. It will be established under the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department.
This will prevent unnecessary delays in tourism projects. Projects exceeding ₹50 crore will require approval from this council. Various types of NOCs are also available.
