Himachal Cabinet Announces Major Recruitment Drive, Welfare Measures and Policy Reforms.
Shimla:
In a landmark meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet approved a series of significant decisions aimed at boosting employment, strengthening healthcare and education infrastructure, providing relief to farmers and vulnerable families, and introducing key policy reforms across various sectors.
Compassionate Appointments to Get Fresh Consideration
The Cabinet approved the reconsideration of previously rejected compassionate appointment cases. As a one-time measure, genuine cases rejected by different departments on various grounds will be re-examined with necessary relaxations to provide relief to affected families.
Encroachment Regularisation Policy Approved
A major decision was taken to approve the Policy for Regularisation of Certain Encroachments on Government Land, 2026. The policy seeks to address humanitarian concerns of landless families and marginal farmers occupying government land for residential, agricultural and horticultural purposes. The proposal has been forwarded to the Government of India for approval and has been framed in accordance with directions of the Supreme Court.
Relief for Farmers Facing Loan Burden
To prevent distress among farmers whose land faces auction due to loan defaults, the Cabinet approved the Agriculture Loan Interest Subvention Scheme. Under the scheme, the state government will bear 50 percent of the interest burden on eligible agricultural loans up to Rs. 3 lakh, benefiting approximately 6,356 farmers across Himachal Pradesh.
Massive Recruitment in Government Departments
In one of the largest recruitment initiatives in recent years, the Cabinet approved the creation and filling of hundreds of posts across departments:
400 posts of Work Inspector.
300 Medical Officers.
250 Class-IV/Multi Task Workers in the Health Department.
200 Staff Nurses.
76 Operation Theatre Assistants.
36 Radiographers.
50 Laboratory Technicians Grade-II.
75 Assistant Professors in various medical colleges.
17 Assistant Professors in Himachal Pradesh University.
Three Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services (HPAS) posts.
Additional approvals included:
Two Assistant Professors and two Senior Residents in the Cardiology Department of Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College.
Creation of 12 posts at Civil Hospital Dehra and three posts in the office of the Block Medical Officer, Dehra.
Three posts at the College of Horticulture and Forestry, Neri.
Two Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts in the office of the Divisional Commissioner, Mandi.
One Junior Office Assistant (IT) and one Multi-Task Worker post reserved for persons with disabilities in the Home Guards and Civil Defence Department.
Employee Welfare Measures
The Cabinet approved several employee-centric decisions, including:
Granting full salary to employees on study leave.
Payment of pending salary dues to employees who had earlier availed study leave.
Conversion of part-time workers completing seven years of continuous service by March 31, 2026, into daily wagers.
Grant of 15 days paternity leave to Job Trainees.
A one-time relaxation was also approved for six designated professors of Dr. Radhakrishnan Government Medical College who were short of eligibility requirements by a few days.
Health Infrastructure Strengthened
The Cabinet approved several healthcare expansion projects:
Upgradation of Civil Hospital Sarkaghat from 100 to 150 beds.
Upgradation of Primary Health Centre Kalol into a Community Health Centre.
Upgradation of Civil Hospital Baddi into a 100-bedded hospital.
Opening of Primary Health Centre Manpura in Solan district.
Establishment of a Primary Health Sub-Centre at Manjheli in Hamirpur district.
HIMCARE Coverage Enhanced
A major relief for beneficiaries came with the Cabinet’s approval to shift the HIMCARE scheme to insurance mode. Health insurance coverage under the scheme has been increased from Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 7 lakh and Rs. 10 lakh for eligible beneficiaries.
Startup and Innovation Push
The Cabinet approved the launch of Phase-IV of Rajiv Gandhi Swarojgar Start-Up Yojana, under which eligible beneficiaries will receive:
50 percent subsidy for purchasing electric buses.
30 percent subsidy for diesel buses.
The scheme aims to promote self-employment and improve public transportation.
The Cabinet also approved the State Innovation Policy for Technical Education Institutions, allocating Rs. 2 crore between 2026 and 2028 to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and startup culture.
Cannabis Cultivation for Medical Purposes
In a significant policy reform, amendments to the Himachal Pradesh NDPS Rules, 1989, were approved to regulate cultivation, processing, manufacturing, warehousing and transportation of cannabis strictly for medical and scientific purposes.
Relief Package for Fire-Affected Families
The Cabinet sanctioned a special relief package for 15 fire-affected families in the Jubbal, Kotkhai and Rohru areas of Shimla district. Families whose houses were completely destroyed will receive Rs. 7 lakh each. A total assistance package of Rs. 84.70 lakh has been approved.
Recruitment Process Reforms
A Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri will be constituted to study the centralization and streamlining of recruitment for Multi Task Workers in various departments.
The Cabinet also approved withdrawal of advertisements for 80 post codes issued by the erstwhile Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission and decided to refund examination fees amounting to Rs. 4.27 crore to candidates.
Grazing Policy and Digital Services
The Cabinet approved Grazing Policy 2026, under which the Forest and Animal Husbandry Departments will jointly develop an online portal to facilitate graziers through real-time permit issuance and better management of grazing activities.
Relief for Tractor Operators
In a move welcomed by rural communities, the Cabinet reduced the compounding fee for tractors transporting minerals for domestic use from Rs. 4,500 to Rs. 500, significantly lowering the financial burden on tractor owners.
Infrastructure and Power Sector Decisions
The Cabinet approved:
Creation of a new Public Works Department Sub-Division at Chadhiar in Kangra district.
Grant of a 40-year lease to Himachal Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation Limited for construction of a 132/33 KV Sub-Station at Patola and a 220 KV Switching Sub-Station at Kangen in Kangra district.
Fairs and Cultural Events Upgraded
Several fairs received upgraded status:
National-Level Fair
Shoolini Mela
State-Level Fairs
Maa Shiv Shakti Jatar Mela
Shivratri Mela Kathgarh
District-Level Fairs
Mela Nerati Rait
Baridhar Mela Saryanj
Chhinj Mela Garnota
Nahvidhar Mela
Sports Infrastructure Boost
The Cabinet approved the upgradation of the Thakur Ramlal Girls Sports Hostel in Jubbal into the Thakur Ramlal Government Girls School of Sports, along with the creation of 23 posts.
Sahara Yojana SOP Revised
The Cabinet also approved a revised Standard Operating Procedure for the Mukhya Mantri Sahara Yojana to ensure smoother implementation and improved delivery of benefits.
Education Department Presentation
A presentation on CBSE schools and related educational reforms was made before the Cabinet by the Secretary (Education), indicating the government’s continued focus on strengthening school education in the state.
The Cabinet meeting reflected the state government’s emphasis on employment generation, healthcare expansion, employee welfare, rural development, innovation, and social security, while also addressing long-pending issues concerning farmers, workers and affected families across Himachal Pradesh.
