In fulfillment of Chief Minister’s announcement in the JCC Meeting, Himachal Pradesh Cabinet in its Meeting held here today granted approval for introduction of Assured Career Progression Scheme (ACPS), 4-9-14, for the employees of the State Government with effect from August 27, 2009. It also decided restoration of old (8-16-24-32) ACPS with effect from August 27, 2009. In both the schemes the notional benefit will be given w.e.f. August 27, 2009, while actual benefit will accrue from the date of notification. Cabinet also decided to review its earlier decision taken on July 27, 2012 for granting ACPS to 8 specific categories who will also now get actual benefit from the date of notification while notiona lbenefit will be available w.e.f. August 27, 2009 on the pattern of the new schemes approved today. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal presided over the Meeting.
In its meeting cabinet also decided to regularize the services of contractual employees working in different departments of the State Government who have been recruited after completion of all codal formalities and who have completed 6years of regular service and fits into the eligibility criteria determined for regularization in this regard. Contractual employees shall also be treated at par with regular employees with regard to their transfer on completion of three years of service at one station which will be applicable from next session. Part Time employees will now be promoted as daily wagers on completion of 9 years of service instead of 10years. Contractual employees will also be eligible for annual non-transferable medical leave of 10 days. It has further been decided to provide compassionate employment to the next of the kin of the contractual employees who dies while in active service and whose family is in dire necessity of financial assistance. Cabinet decided to consider all eligible cases of compassionate employment in accordance with the policy dated January 18, 1990.
Cabinet also decided to introduce Elementary Meritorious Scholarship Scheme in the State by providing them an annual scholarship of Rs.800, selecting 4 students, 2 girls and 2 boys, studying in class VI to VIII, from each Education Block. The Scheme aims at motivating students to inculcate spirit of competitiveness at elementary level itself.
It was decided to enhance minimum assured monthly retaining fee of Takniki Sahayak from Rs.4,000 to Rs. 5,500 w.e.f. April 1, 2012 and the decision will benefit 1,200 Takniki Sahayaks. The decisions entail an annual expenditure of Rs. 8 crore. Commission rates have also been revised and would be applicable @ 2 percent for works upto Rs. 1.00 lakh; 1.5 percent for works upto Rs. 2 lakh and 1.25 percent for works above Rs. 2 lakh.
It was decided to regularize the services of Panchayat Secretaries engaged on contract basis by Panchayati Raj institutions on completion of mandatory 8 years of service as per the Policy of Department of Personnel. It was decided to provide annual honorarium of Rs.2,000 to all 3,670 Nambardars in the State entailing an expenditure of Rs.73.40 lakhs per annum.
Cabinet approved to reduce Electricity Duty in favour of heavy industrial units from 20 percent to 17 percent thereby providing them relief on electricity duty. It was approved to create and fill up 65 posts of Teaching and Non-Teaching categories to make newly opened Government Degree Colleges at Rewalsar, Nihri, Lad Bhadol and Baldwara in district Mandi functional from current academic session.
Cabinet also has given nod to fill up vacancies of 25 Excise Inspectors in the Department of Excise and Taxation through direct recruitment. It was approved to alleviate 35 posts of Clerks to Senior Assistants posted in Block Medical Offices of Health and Family Welfare Department. It was approved to create 2 posts of Medical Physcists, 2 posts of Physic Technician, 2 posts of and one post of Radiation Safety Officer in the Department of Radio Therapy of IGMC Shimla. It was decided to create 4 posts of different categories in the Himachal Pradesh Private Education Institutions Regulatory Commission for its more effective functioning.
It was approved to open Primary Health Centre in Sector 4 of New Shimla and create one post of Medical Officer and one post of Staff Nurse to make the same functional. It was approved to amend the draft The Indian Stamp (Himachal Pradesh Amendment) Bill, 2012, for placing the same before the HP State Legislative Assembly during coming Monsoon Session.
Cabinet decided to approve the draft of The Himachal Pradesh Ceiling on Land Holdings (Amendment) Bill, 2012, for placing the same before the HP State Legislative Assembly during coming Monsoon Session. It was approved to amend the Himachal Pradesh Taxation(on Certain Goods Carried by Road) Act, 1999. It was further approved to amend various existing penal provisions under the Himachal Pradesh Value Added Tax Act, 2005 –Introduction of HP Value Added Tax (2nd Amendment) Bill, 2012.
It was decided to carry rationalization in respect of various categories of posts in the Department of Horticulture for its more effective target oriented functioning towards horticulturists in the State. It was decided to exempt new hotels in tribal and hard areas from payment of Luxury Tax under the HP Tax on Luxuries (in Hotels and Lodging Houses) Act, 1979, for a period of 10 years from the date of the hotel starts operation.
Cabinet also approved to provide e-filing of returns ande-payment facility of tax under the Himachal Pradesh Passengers and Goods Taxation Act, 1955. It was decided to amend Part-II-A of Schedule ‘A’ of Himachal Pradesh Value Added Tax Act, 2005 in order to cover all the Industrial Inputs used in manufacturing, processing and packing of Industrial Units under 5 percent VAT rate. It was further decided to reduce VAT from 13.75 percent to 5 percent on the sale of goods to non-dealers like Defence /Central Government Departments/Central/ Public Undertakings in order to avoid the tax loss being caused due to less tax in neighbouring States.
It was also decided to introduce in the coming Monsoon Session of HP State Legislative Assembly the Himachal Pradesh Value Added Tax(Amendment) Bill, 2012, to exclude the C and D Class contractors having annual turn over up to Rs. 30 lakh and who have paid 30 percent TDS, from filing tax returns. It was decided to open a Police Post adjacent to JP Cement Plant near Kharsi, in district Bilaspur. It approved First Statues in respect of Career Point University, Hamirpur and the IEC (India Education Centre) University, Baddi (Solan) for making both of them operational.
It approved amendment in the Recruitment and promotion Rules of Superintendent Grade-I, (Class-I Gazetted) in the Department of Animal Husbandry. It was decided to frame Recruitment and Promotion Rules for the post of Medical Physcist, Grade-I (Gazetted) to fill up vacant posts of Medical Physicists and provide specialized services to cancer patients in IGMC. It was approved to purchase 4 number of trucks for Department of Animal Husbandry for more frequent mobility and delivery of services to the people.
