Himachal Pradesh govt takes key decision at State Cabinet Meeting

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 6 (ANI): The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday, approved the inclusion of domestic working women under the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behana Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojna, among other key decisions.
According to an official release, women who have completed a minimum of 100 days as domestic help, along with their daughters aged 21 years and above, will now be eligible for benefits under the scheme and receive Rs 1,500 per month as pension.
It approved an increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for naturally grown crops in the state. The MSP for naturally grown wheat has been raised from Rs 40 to Rs 60 per kilogram and for maize from Rs 30 to Rs 40 per kilogram.
Additionally, the Cabinet okayed the MSP for naturally grown raw turmeric at Rs 90 per kilogram and for barley from the Pangi block in Chamba district at Rs 60 per kilogram.
It was also decided to declare Pangi as the first Natural Farming Sub-Division of the state.
The Cabinet gave its nod to allot 422 stage carriage routes in favour of private operators to offer efficient transport services to the people of the State and provide self-employment opportunities to the unemployed youth.
To address the problem of roadside parking and congestion, the Cabinet gave its nod to open the feasible closed basement floor for parking purposes.
If the designated parking floor is used for any purpose other than parking, the concerned will be levied with a heavy penalty and will have to restore the floor for parking purposes.
The Cabinet approved the establishment of Nephrology, Neurology, and Gastroenterology departments at Dr. Radhakrishnan Government Medical College, Hamirpur, along with the creation and filling of 118 posts across various categories to ensure their smooth functioning.
It decided to fill up 43 posts of various technical vacancies under different Krishi Vigyan Kendras of the State. Additionally, the Cabinet decided to open a new division of the Jal Shakti Vibhag at Sujanpur in Hamirpur district.
The Cabinet approved the new Home Stay Policy and decided to fix the registration fee for homestays in the Pangi Sub Division of Chamba district at 50 per cent of the standard rate.
It also approved the upgradation of the Ayurvedic Health Centre at Kosari in the Jaisinghpur assembly segment of Kangra district to a 10-bedded Ayurvedic Hospital, along with the creation and filling of necessary posts.
Additionally, the Cabinet gave its approval to upgrade the Primary Health Centre at Panjawar in Una district to a Community Health Centre, with the required staff positions to be created and filled.
The Cabinet decided to provide relief in water tariffs to residents of the newly constituted 14 Nagar Panchayats and the merged areas of the upgraded Municipal Corporations of Hamirpur, Una and Baddi, as well as the Municipal Councils of Nadaun and Baijnath-Paprola.
The decision also covers areas recently included in the Municipal Councils of Jwalamukhi, Dehra, Paonta Sahib and the Nagar Panchayat of Jwali. These areas will continue to be charged water tariffs at rural rates for the next three years.
The Cabinet also gave its approval to merge seven State of Art (SOA) ITIs in ITIs and seven women ITIs in ITIs across the State. (ANI)