Shimla, February 12, 2026:
In a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet approved several key policy decisions and welfare initiatives aimed at strengthening healthcare, education, infrastructure and social security across the State.
The Cabinet approved the Toll Tax Barrier Policy 2026-27 and Excise Policy 2026-27. It also cleared the Governor’s Address for the upcoming Budget Session of the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha.
Female Home Guard volunteers will now be entitled to 26 weeks of maternity leave. Amendments were approved in the Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojana to provide financial assistance to daughters of widows pursuing professional courses in government institutions inside and outside the State, along with ₹3,000 per month as rent support where hostel facilities are unavailable.
The Cabinet also approved the launch of the Indira Gandhi Matri Shishu Sankalp Yojana to improve nutrition for children below six years, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Marriage assistance for specially abled persons has been increased to ₹2 lakh for those with over 70 percent disability, while persons with 40 to 70 percent disability will receive ₹25,000.
In the education sector, 600 posts of teachers — including Sanskrit, Physical Education, Music and Drawing — will be created for proposed CBSE schools and filled through Rajya Chayan Aayog. Thirty-one boys’ and girls’ schools will be merged into co-educational institutions. The Digital Classroom Project will be expanded to 777 additional schools.
A major healthcare modernization project worth ₹1,617.40 crore was approved to upgrade medical colleges, super-specialty hospitals and Adarsh Swasthya Sansthans. New medical equipment will be procured for key hospitals including Kamla Nehru Hospital, Shimla and other regional and civil hospitals. Drug Testing Laboratories will be established at Nurpur, Baddi and Una.
The Cabinet also approved the creation and filling of multiple posts across departments, including Junior Engineers, Junior Office Assistants (IT), Pharmacy Officers, Assistant Staff Nurses, Radiographers, Food Safety Officers and others. Eight Safai Karamchari posts will be filled in the High Court Registry.
Infrastructure decisions included approval of the Road Drainage Policy and a Standard Operating Procedure for pothole repairs. PWD divisions in Sirmaur district will be reorganized as per Assembly constituencies.
The Veterinary Hospital at Kotkhai will be upgraded to a Sub-Divisional Veterinary Hospital. The Sports Hostel at Luhnu in Bilaspur will be expanded from 80 to 100 beds. New sports hostels for volleyball, kabaddi and handball will be opened, and boxing for girls will be introduced at Jubbal.
The Cabinet also approved the establishment of the Distil Global Skills and Digital University in Chamba district and constituted a Cabinet Sub-Committee to draft the H.P. State Lottery (Regulation) Rules, 2026.
These decisions aim to enhance welfare support, strengthen healthcare and education infrastructure, and promote balanced development across Himachal Pradesh.
