Himachal Pradesh Cabinet in its Meeting held here today decided to exempt upcoming hotels in tribal and hard areas from payment of Luxury Tax under HP Tax on Luxuries (Hotels and Lodging Houses) Act, 1979 for a period of 10 years from the date these start functioning. The decision aims promoting tourism in rural areas and diverts tourist traffic from urban and prominent tourist destinations to the rural areas in the State enabling rural youth with employment and self-employment avenues at their door steps.
Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal presided over the Meeting. It was decided to provide honorarium to Panchayat Samiti Members at par with Pradhans of Gram Panchayats, as per the prevailing practice. Members of Panchayat Samitis will now be getting an honorarium of Rs. 1,800 with effect from April 1, 2012. This is in fulfillment of the Budget Assurance of the Chief Minister.
It was decided to upgrade Health Sub Centre, Rishikesh in Gram Panchayat Damali, district Bilaspur to Primary Health Centre and approved creation of necessary staff for the same, open Primary Health Centre alongwith staff at village Hansa in Lahaul Valley of district Lahaul and Spiti, open new Health Sub Centre at Nainidhar in district Sirmour and fill up posts through internalization.
It was decided to extend the time period for furnishing Annual Returns by traders by November 30 every year in form VAT-XV-A under the Himachal Pradesh Value Added Tax Rules, 2005.
It was decided to fill up 92 vacant posts of Assistant Professor (College Cadre) in different disciplines for posting in different degree colleges in the State by sending requisition to the HP Public Service Commission.
It was decided to fill up 56 posts of different categories in the Department of Economics and Statistics through outsourcing and one post of Deputy Director by promotion on co-terminus basis for the period of 13th Finance Commission to implement various programmes in the State during the period ending with financial year of 2014-15, five posts of Clerks, 25 posts of Leading Firemen, Firemen and Driver-cum-Pump Operators, in Home Guards and Civil Defence Department on contract basis, one post of Driver in HP Institute of Public Administration on contract basis, one post of Senior Assistant to be re-designated as Law Officer in Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department.
It was decided to transfer Irrigation and Public Health Sub-Division, Rampur-II in district Shimla to Darlaghat under IPH Division, Arki in district Solan along-with posts, keeping in view the extra workload in public interest.
It was decided to constitute a Committee under the Chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary (IPH) and Principal Secretary (Finance) as its Member to give its recommendations over creation of new office of Chief Engineer (Project) in IPH Department along-with supporting staff for expeditious execution of the projects under NABARD, Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Project (AIBP) etc.
It was approved to amend Rule-5 of the Himachal Pradesh Right to Information Act, 2006, by inserting the provision for charging of fee towards postal expenses as per requirement of the Indian Postal and Telegraph Department.
It was approved to amend Recruitment and Promotion Rules for the post of Director (Class-I Gazetted) in the Department of Animal Husbandry; adopt fresh Recruitment and Promotion Rules for the post of Deputy Controller (Printing and Stationary) Class-I Gazetted in the Department of Printing and Stationary, Treasury Officer (Class-II Gazetted) in Treasury, Accounts and Lottery Department.
Sanction was granted for purchase/replace an old condemned vehicle of Finance Department, two new Bolero vehicles of HP State Forest Development Corporation by replacing two old condemned vehicles for more frequent mobility.
