Shimla, October 10: The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, on Saturday approved a major recruitment and employee-welfare package, clearing the engagement of 4,090 para-workers in the Jal Shakti Department, 3,900 teaching posts and 900 non-teaching posts for schools to be affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
The Cabinet also approved recruitment across several departments, increased the monthly honorarium of Anganwadi Workers, Anganwadi Helpers and Van Mitras, and cleared measures concerning the recruitment of contractual and outsourced personnel.
Under the new scheme for CBSE-affiliated schools, 100 additional schools will be affiliated with the board. A new scheme will be prepared to facilitate recruitment against the approved teaching and non-teaching posts.
The Cabinet also approved a Limited Direct Recruitment (LDR) test for left-out School Management Committee (SMC) teachers, including Post Graduate Teachers (PGTs) and Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs). Computer teachers already working in government schools on an outsourced basis will also be eligible for recruitment through the LDR process.
Recruitment across departments
The Cabinet approved the filling of 500 posts of Assistant Staff Nurses in the Health Department and 320 posts of Assistant Professors (College Cadre) in the Education Department under the backlog quota.
It also cleared 172 Multi-Task Worker posts in the Public Works Department (PWD), 30 posts of radiologists, 13 clinical psychologists and six perfusionists in the Department of Medical Education.
Additionally, 27 posts across various categories will be filled under the four per cent quota for persons with disabilities, along with 11 Multi-Task Worker posts.
The Cabinet approved the filling of 24 posts of Medical Officers (Specialists and Super Specialists) at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, and 116 posts across various categories in the Animal Husbandry Department.
In the Horticulture Department, 40 Horticulture Extension Officer posts and five Senior Assistant posts were approved for filling, along with 10 Horticulture Development Officer posts.
The Cabinet also approved the creation and filling of 26 posts for the Durgasharanya Kangra International Zoological Park.
Other recruitment decisions include 10 radiographer posts for Adarsh Swasthya Sansthan, 18 Assistant Treasury Officer posts, 10 Junior Engineer (Civil) posts in the PWD, 10 Range Forest Officer posts and 10 posts for MCH Kullu.
The State Taxes and Excise Department will fill 10 Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts, while the Cooperation Department will recruit two Junior Registrars and 30 Assistant Inspectors. The Cabinet also approved 13 Election Kanungo posts, five posts in the Directorate of Forensic Services and seven posts in the Directorate of Treasuries, Accounts and Lotteries.
A separate Directorate of Recruitment will be established, with 14 posts approved for creation and filling in its first phase.
The Cabinet further cleared the creation of three Private Secretary posts, one each in the Family Courts at Shimla, Mandi and Kangra at Dharamshala. The Regional Transport Office at Dehra in Kangra district will receive one Motor Vehicle Inspector post and one Junior Office Assistant (IT) post.
One post each of Junior Office Assistant (IT) and Multi-Task Worker was approved for the Community Health Centre at Kupvi in Shimla district. The Cabinet also approved the appointment of 29 Junior Office Assistants (IT) on compassionate grounds in the Education Department.
Honorarium hikes for Anganwadi Workers and Van Mitras
In a relief to frontline workers, the Cabinet approved an increase in the monthly honorarium of Anganwadi Workers from Rs 10,500 to Rs 11,500 and that of Anganwadi Helpers from Rs 5,800 to Rs 6,800.
The annual income ceiling for appointing Anganwadi Workers and Helpers from among widows, destitute women and single women was also raised from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000.
The monthly honorarium of Van Mitras was increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000.
The Cabinet also approved the filling of two Sub-Editor posts in the Department of Information and Public Relations.
Special Police Officers deployed in border areas will receive an additional Rs 500 per month, with the enhancement effective from April 1, 2026.
New recruitment policies for technical education and forests
The Cabinet approved a policy for engaging Assistant Craft Instructors, Assistant Lecturers in polytechnics and Junior Professors in engineering and pharmacy disciplines under the Department of Technical Education, Vocational and Industrial Training.
It also approved the filling of 40 Assistant Lecturer posts and 120 Assistant Craft Instructor posts.
The department will be renamed the Department of Technical Education, Skill and Entrepreneurship Development.
A separate policy for engaging Assistant Forest Guards was also approved, paving the way for filling 500 posts in the Forest Department.
The Cabinet further approved the creation of posts of District Youth Services and Sports Officers for international-level medal winners.
Employee transfers and service-related decisions
The Cabinet constituted a sub-committee under Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, with Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar and Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi as members, to formulate comprehensive guidelines regulating the transfer of State Government employees to their home districts and within the same district.
It also approved 12 days of casual leave in a calendar year for cooks-cum-helpers engaged in government schools under the PM-POSHAN Scheme.
The Cabinet approved amendments to provisions governing cash awards for members of Indian teams winning medals at international sporting events. Eligible sportspersons from Himachal Pradesh may receive an equal share, with each receiving the amount prescribed for an individual medal winner, or a proportionate share subject to a minimum of 25 per cent of the prescribed individual award.
Healthcare and public infrastructure
The Cabinet approved the establishment of two independent super-speciality departments—Critical Care Medicine and Surgical Gastroenterology—along with the strengthening of Blood Transfusion, Anaesthesia and Radiology departments through the creation of requisite posts.
A Government Nursing College will be established at Pt JLNGMC Chamba with 60 BSc Nursing seats.
The Cabinet also approved upgrading PHC Darini (Ridkumar) in Kangra district to a Community Health Centre and opening a new Primary Health Centre at Sansal in Kangra district. A PHC at Panjoa in Una district was also approved.
Other decisions included opening a new police post at Koti under Dhalli police station in Shimla district, with eight posts of various categories, and establishing a new Jal Shakti Section at Darini in Shahpur constituency of Kangra district.
The Cabinet approved the construction of an eight-storey multi-level parking facility-cum-toilet complex at Shri Baba Balak Nath Temple, Deotsidh, in Hamirpur district. It also cleared a City Centre at the old bus stand in Hamirpur and an Inter-State Bus Terminal at Shitalpur in Baddi, Solan district.
The redevelopment of Chotta Shimla Chowk, including an underpass, was also approved.
Relief for disaster-hit families and farmers
The Cabinet approved a special relief package for disaster-affected families in Boh Valley of Kangra district.
Families whose houses have been completely damaged will receive Rs 7.50 lakh, while Rs 1 lakh will be provided for the loss of household belongings. The package also includes rental assistance of Rs 5,000 and free ration for six months.
Compensation of Rs 55,000 will be provided for the loss of a buffalo, Rs 15,000 for the loss of a goat or sheep, and Rs 1 lakh for losses incurred in fisheries. Assistance of Rs 2,000 per kanal will be provided for crop losses, while Rs 5,000 will be given for damage to agricultural land.
The Cabinet also approved an increase in assistance under the Milk Incentive Scheme from Rs 3 to Rs 6 per litre. Government departments will be directed to procure their milk and milk products from Milkfed to provide assured market support to dairy farmers.
The Mukhyamantri Machhuara Sahayata Yojana was approved to ensure remunerative prices for reservoir fishermen. Under the scheme, reservoir fish will have a minimum support price of Rs 100 per kg, with the government providing a subsidy of up to Rs 20 per kg if auction prices fall below that level.
A Trout Risk Fund Scheme with an outlay of Rs 1 crore was also approved to protect trout farmers against disaster-related losses.
Social security and other decisions
The monthly pension for persons with 100 per cent disability will be increased to Rs 3,000 with effect from April 1, 2026.
Financial assistance under the President’s Merits Assistance Scheme for Home Guard Volunteers and their families will rise from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 in cases of sudden and unforeseen acute distress, including illness or injury. In the event of death, assistance of Rs 1 lakh will be provided.
The Cabinet approved the establishment of two dedicated courts, one each in Kangra and Mandi, for cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
It also approved the cancellation of the allotment of 33 small hydroelectric projects, each with an installed capacity of less than 5 MW, citing a lack of seriousness on the part of developers. Fresh bids will be invited for the 126 MW Chhatru and 205 MW Ropa I and III power projects.
Other decisions included extending the HPSHIVA project by two years, until June 2030; according international status to the State-level Holi Mela at Sujanpur; allotting nine ecotourism sites; and approving the Nutrition Policy 2026.
The Cabinet also approved amendments to the Himachal Pradesh E-Stamping Rules, 2026, a witness protection scheme, the transfer of land for Kendriya Vidyalayas at Gokul Nagar in Una district and Fuftu in Shimla district, and the takeover of the management of Pir Nigah Temple in Una.
HP Government Dental College and Hospital, Shimla, will be renamed Rajiv Gandhi Government Dental College and Hospital, Shimla. The Cabinet also approved the creation and filling of requisite posts for various new institutions and facilities across the state.
