HP Cabinet Clears Major Welfare, Healthcare and Employment Push.
ASHA workers, teachers, doctors and PG students among key beneficiaries; over 5,000 posts approved across departments.
Shimla:
In one of its most significant meetings, the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, approved a series of welfare, healthcare, education and employment measures aimed at strengthening public services and improving the socio-economic conditions of various sections of society. The decisions include enhanced financial benefits for healthcare workers, teachers and Nambardars, expansion of medical education, creation of thousands of government posts and several infrastructure projects.
A major decision of the Cabinet was the approval of Non-Practising Allowance (NPA) for super-specialist faculty members possessing recognised DM, M.Ch. and DrNB qualifications serving under the Department of Medical Education and Research. The move is expected to help attract and retain highly qualified specialists in government medical institutions.
The Cabinet also approved a substantial hike in the stipend of postgraduate medical students. Under the revised structure, first-year students will receive Rs 50,000 per month instead of Rs 40,000, second-year students Rs 60,000 instead of Rs 45,000 and third-year students Rs 65,000 against the existing Rs 50,000.
In another significant decision, the Cabinet enhanced the cash awards for teachers receiving State and National honours. National Awardee teachers will now receive Rs 1.5 lakh instead of Rs 60,000, while State Awardee teachers will get Rs 1 lakh in place of Rs 40,000. However, the Cabinet decided to discontinue service extensions for awardee teachers.
The Cabinet approved an increase in the monthly honorarium of ASHA workers by Rs 1,000, raising it from Rs 5,800 to Rs 6,800 with effect from April 1, 2026. Similarly, the monthly honorarium of Nambardars has been enhanced by Rs 500 to Rs 5,000.
To strengthen medical education, the Cabinet approved the introduction of B.Sc. Medical Technology (Radiotherapy Technologist) and Bachelor of Radiation Therapy Technology courses with 30 seats each at IGMC Shimla and Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda. It also amended the PG/Super-Speciality Policy by exempting doctors serving at AIMSS Chamiyana and in Radiodiagnosis departments of other State medical colleges from mandatory field postings, treating their service as field posting for six years.
In a major healthcare initiative, the Cabinet approved the establishment of an All India Institute of Ayurveda at Dhaneta in Nadaun, Hamirpur district, where 75 acres of land has already been identified. It also sanctioned procurement of equipment for five Critical Care Blocks in medical institutions across the State and approved the establishment of a Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery at Tanda Medical College.
Employment generation also remained a key focus of the meeting. The Cabinet approved the recruitment of 400 Multi-Task Workers (MTWs) in Gram Panchayats and the engagement of 3,950 personnel, including one Chowkidar and one Multi-Task Worker in each of the State’s 1,975 Government Senior Secondary Schools.
It further approved the filling up of 200 Junior Office Assistant (Library) posts in the Education Department, 280 Job Trainee Technical Assistants for Gram Panchayats, 102 posts for Police District Nurpur, and several other posts across departments, including Fisheries, Panchayati Raj, Planning, Economics and Statistics, Sports, Tribal Development and Health.
The Cabinet also approved placing part-time Panchayat Chowkidars who have completed 12 years or more of continuous service between August 31, 2022 and March 31, 2026 on daily wages instead of the existing fixed honorarium.
To improve rural governance, Field Junior Engineers of the Public Works Department will receive a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 for effective implementation of the Works and Accounts Management Information System (WAMIS). The Cabinet also approved shifting PWD Division No. 2 from Bilaspur to Jagatkhana.
The Cabinet accorded approval to the Road Safety Audit Policy aimed at reducing accidents on existing and upcoming roads. It also approved the development of a multipurpose commercial complex at Vikasnagar in Shimla under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Several initiatives were announced for the fisheries sector, including 70 per cent subsidy for fishing boats, 90 per cent subsidy on fishing gear and support for cold storage, freeze-dry units and refrigerated vans through the Direct Benefit Transfer mechanism. The Cabinet also launched the Mukhya Mantri Machhuara Samman Nidhi Scheme, under which eligible reservoir fishermen families will receive Rs 3,500 during the annual closed fishing season.
In the sports sector, the Cabinet approved procurement of equipment worth Rs 12.89 crore for the State-level Sports Centre of Excellence at Kharidi in Hamirpur and sanctioned additional posts for its smooth functioning. It also approved an Integrated Aqua Park at Nadaun and several appointments for sports institutions across the State.
The Cabinet approved amendments to the Rajiv Gandhi Swarozgar Start-up Yojana, increasing the upper age limit for applicants under the E-Taxi component from 45 to 50 years. It also empowered Rogi Kalyan Samitis to utilise diagnostic income for sanitation and procurement of medical reagents and approved amendments to the Multi-Purpose Health Worker Course fee structure.
Among other decisions, the Cabinet approved upgrading the Community Health Centre at Koti into a 10-bedded health institution, establishing a Fire Post at Badoh in Kangra district, increasing the War Jagir Grant from Rs 7,000 to Rs 10,000, introducing boiled eggs or seasonal fruits twice a week for students from Nursery to Class VIII under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme and granting a one-time relaxation in the upper age limit for recruitment to 800 police constable posts.
The Cabinet also approved recommendations of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on issues related to CBSE schools, the empanelment of legal volunteers at police stations to monitor missing children cases, enhancement of the Fozal Hydroelectric Project capacity from 9 MW to 16 MW, adoption of the Energy Service Company (ESCO) model for energy-efficient water supply systems and granted permission for the development of Jathia Devi Mountain City in the Shimla hills.
The decisions taken in the Cabinet meeting reflect the State Government’s emphasis on strengthening healthcare, expanding educational opportunities, generating employment, improving public infrastructure and enhancing welfare benefits for frontline workers and rural communities.
