The state government yesterday approved amendments to the Compassionate Employment Policy to give priority to widows and orphaned applicants below 45 years of age and the dependents of its officials, who died while on duty.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here. As per the revised policy, the annual family income eligibility criterion for compassionate employment was enhanced from Rs 2.50 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.
In cases where vacancies under the existing five per cent quota for such appointments were not available, the Cabinet permitted a one-time relaxation to ensure the eligible applicants were accommodated.
It also gave nod to increasing the number of B.Sc (Nursing) seats in Sister Nivedita Government Nursing College, Shimla, from 60 to 100.
It approved a new B.Sc nursing college with an annual intake of 60 students at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College and Hospital at Tanda in Kangra district.
The Cabinet allowed the engagement of women workers in shops and commercial establishments in night shift from 7 pm to 7 am to provide them place gender equality.
It also decided to grant maternity benefits to every woman employee working in such establishments, as prescribed under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.
The Cabinet constituted a sub-committee under the chairmanship of Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan on the development of 300 acres for the proposed medical device park at Nalagarh. The committee would submit its report within two months.
The Cabinet also approved amendments to the Himachal Pradesh Minor Minerals (Concession) and Minerals (Prevention of Illegal Mining, Transportation and Storage) Rules, 2015.
As per the revised provisions, contractors or agencies engaged in road cutting would now be permitted to use the generated material during the de-siltation and maintenance of reservoir projects for captive purposes.
The designated committees shall auction any leftover stacked raw material or finished product, along with the entire material generated, in accordance with the prescribed procedure.
The Cabinet approved the extension of an agreement between the state government and Alliance Air Aviation Ltd. for operating flights on the Shimla-Dharamsala-Shimla route. The agreement would now remain in effect from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
To facilitate the expansion of the Kangra airport, the Cabinet granted a one-year extension up to August 16, 2026, under Section 26 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, for land acquisition proceedings.
It granted nod to the draft development plan for the Dhaula Kuan Majra Planning Area in Sirmaur district.
It approved the reorganisation of the Naleti patwar circle in Kangra by excluding the areas of Mahal Masot and Balahar in Dehra tehsil and merging them with the Garh patwar circle in Paragpur tehsil.
A detailed presentation was made at the meeting on the issue of drug abuse in Himachal Pradesh, to highlight the challenges and the ongoing efforts being undertaken by the Excise and Taxation Department to combat the menace.
