Himachal Pradesh Cabinet in its Meeting held here under Chief Minister, granted formal approval to the announcement of the Chief Minister to release post based re-revised pay structures and grade pays to the State Government Employees based of Punjab pattern from October 1, 2012, benefitting large number of employees in the State. The additional annual burden on this account would be over Rs. 550 crore per annum. It further granted approval to the introduction and implementation of Assured Career Progression Scheme (ACPS) under three-tier system of 4-9-14 to all categories of State Employees w.e.f. 27th August, 2009, to benefit large number of employees working in different Departments by getting placement in higher pay scales.
Cabinet also decided to notify revised enhanced daily wages from Rs. 130 to Rs. 150 from September 1, 2012, with additional 25 percent wages to daily wagers working in tribal areas. The revised daily wages shall be applicable in private sector as well. It was decided to introduce Award Scheme to the technical employees, engaged in various construction activities, with a view to inspire others to complete the projects within the allotted time frame and save on time and money. Each Award shall comprise of cash Award of Rs. 51,000 in cash, one shawl, a cap, a plaque and a letter of appreciation. In case the award is shared by a team every member shall be getting equal share of the prize along with other honours. Awards shall be presented by the Chief Minister on Himachal Day every year.
Cabinet also approved to grant the pay scale of Rs. 15,600-39,100 with a Grade Pay of Rs. 5,400 to the regular Ayurvedic Medical Officers while Senior Ayurvedic Medical Officers shall be given grade pay of Rs. 6,000. 4 posts of Deputy Directors have also been created to provide more promotional avenues to District Ayurvedic Medical officers/Medical Superintendents. It was also approved to provide equal financial benefits to the Ayurvedic Medical Officers engaged under Rogi Kalyan Samiti equal to the contractual Government Ayurvedic Medical Officers.
Cabinet approved to release the pay scales and other revised service benefits to all teaching and non-teaching categories of officers in higher technical institutions in the State. It was further approved to grant allowances to Judicial Officers and retired Judicial Officers/Family Pensioners w.e.f. January 1, 2006, in accordance with Justice Padamanabham Committee Report. It was approved to also grant daily wages of Rs. 240 instead of fixed monthly amount to such Technical Assistants in Panchayati Raj Department who have completed 10 years of service, subject to their satisfactory performance.
In its meeting cabinet also approved to enhance subsidy under Horticulture Technology Mission and Minor Irrigation Scheme from 50 percent to 80 percent and from 55 percent to 80 on construction of Grading Packing Houses and to bring it at par with the subsidy benefits available to beneficiaries under Pandit Deen Dayal Kisaan Baagwan Samridhi Yojna. It was also approved to give final shape to the ownership right to the possession holders of constructed buildings within the limits of Municipal Corporation, Shimla, by taking payment @ Rs. 1,000 per square meter in Bazar Ward Bara Shimla, Up-Mohal Krishna Nagar; Rs. 900 per square meter in Bazar Ward Lakkar Bazar, Bazar Ward Boileauganj;Rs. 800 per square meter in Bazar Ward Chhota Shimla area. However, it would be mandatory for the landlords to obtain permission under Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Land Reforms Act, 1972.
It was approved to launch Atal Scholarship Scheme to provide cash incentive of Rs. 31,000 to the students belonging to Himachal Pradesh who secure admission in Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM). It was further approved to launch Kalpana Chawla Scholarship Scheme to 2,000 topper girl students of plus two of the State by providing the man annual scholarship of Rs. 15,000 for three years to facilitate them in carrying forward with their vocational and higher educational pursuits.
Cabinet also approved to sell equity share of power from1500 MW Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited Project, Nathpa Jhakri to West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL). It was also approved to make arrangements for sale of Government of Himachal Pradesh entitlement of power in different HEPs beyond December 31, 2012.
It was decided to allow extension to Non-Achiever IPPS of HEPs by charging1/3rd of the total chargeable amount or Rs. 5.00 lakh, whichever is more, which had be deposited beforehand and balance amount paid within the extension period with additional 12 percent for the entire period of delay.
It was approved to open new office of the Regional Transport Officer at Baddi, in district Solan and Nurpur in district Kangra. It was approved to regularize the services of 274 Lecturers (School Cadre) from the date of their contractual employment by removing the condition of B.Ed. as a special case and also regularize services of 38 Lecturers (School Cadre) who had completed 8 years of service on March 31, 2011, on the pattern of other school lecturers.
It was decided to fill up 164 posts of drivers/operators from amongst the already working class IV employees in Public Works Department by holding Special Limited Departmental Examination subject to fulfillment of other eligibility criteria for the post. It was approved to regularize services of contractual 64 Junior Engineers, 2 Junior Scale Stenographers and 3 Junior Accountants working in Panchayati Raj Institutions in accordance with the policy of the State Government and by converting the contractual posts into regular posts.
Cabinet also approved to create 28 posts of different categories of teaching and non-teaching employees to make newly opened Government Degree Colleges at Nankhari in district Shimla and Kasauli in district Solan functional; create 15posts of Superintendent Grade-II in Treasury, Accounts and Lottery Department; upgrade 7 posts of Veterinary Assistants to Chief Veterinary Pharmacists and 28 Veterinary Pharmacists to Animal Husbandry Assistants in the Department of Animal Husbandry; upgrade two posts of Senior Assistants to Superintendent Grade-II and fill up 13 vacant posts of Clerks, re-designated as Data Entry Operator, one post of Assistant Law Officer, 6 posts of Junior Accountant, 9posts of Junior Environmental Engineer and 6 posts of Junior Scientific Assistant in HP State Pollution Control Board’ create one post of Junior Assistant/Clerk, One post of Helper (Class-IV), 2 Junior Assistant/Clerk, engage services of Master Trainer on contractual basis by outsourcing for strengthening of Appropriate Technology Centre, Sundernagar, One post of Project Associate for strengthening HP State Bio Diversity Board; equate 8posts of Cook, one post of Chowkidar and 2 posts of Labour working in Dr.Y.S.Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry with equivalent posts in Government Departments on supernumerary basis; fill up 14 posts of different categories in Weights and Measures Department; 4 posts of Assistant Programmer in the Department of Information Technology; 2 posts of Patwaries in Settlement Department.
It was decided to change nomenclature of the post of Ophthalmic Assistant to ‘Ophthalmic Officer’. It was approved to procure 27 Emergency Vehicles under Atal Swasthya Sewa Yojna to position the same in areas without ambulance facility while 32 more vehicles under National Rural Health Mission would be utilized under Inter Facility Transfer Ambulance vehicles, total costing about Rs. 8.00 crore. These 59 Ambulances will be in position in next couple of months thereby providing coverage to remote and un-covered areas.
Cabinet approved to authorize Lok Mitra Kendras to issue Learner’s Licenses. It was approved to structure Project Management Unit registered as Society for implementation of National Land Record Modernization Programme in the State. It was decided to amend entry No. 14 of Schedule-II of the Himachal Pradesh Tax on Entry of Goods into Local Area Act, 2010.
It was approved to amend the Himachal Pradesh Government Accommodation Allotment (General Pool) Rules, 1994 by making provision for providing one category higher to the eligibility for Government accommodation to the Awardee Journalists. It was decided to upgrade the Community Health Centre, Shahpur, in district Kangra to Civil Hospital. It was approved to shift Horticultural Sub-Division of HPPWD from Solan to Shimla.
It sanctioned 10 new vehicles for Rural Development Department and two new vehicles to HP State Civil Supplies Corporation in replacement of old vehicles. It was approved to Amend Himachal Pradesh Civil Services (Pre-Mature Retirement) Rules, 1976; Recruitment and Promotion Rules to the post of Deputy Director (Languages) (Class-I Gazetted) in the Department of Language and Culture; Surveyors in Social Justice and Empowerment Department.
Cabinet approval to adopt the fresh Recruitment and Promotion Rules to the Post of Health Educator-cum-Lecturer. Class-I Gazetted, in Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda; Teaching and Teaching related different categories of posts in Sister Nivedita Nursing College, Shimla.
