Himachal Cabinet Approves 4,090 Jal Shakti Para-Workers, 3,900 Teaching Posts, Salary Hikes and Major Relief Measures.
Shimla:
The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has approved a series of major decisions concerning employment, education, healthcare, agriculture, tourism, disaster relief and public infrastructure. The decisions include the engagement of 4,090 para-workers in the Jal Shakti Department, approval to fill thousands of teaching and non-teaching posts, enhancement of honorariums for Anganwadi workers and Van Mitras, and financial assistance for disaster-affected families in Kangra district.
Major Employment Boost Across Departments
The Cabinet approved the engagement of 4,090 para-workers, including Para Pump Operators, Para Fitters and Multipurpose Workers, in the Jal Shakti Department.
It also approved the affiliation of 100 additional schools with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). A new scheme will be formulated for these institutions, under which 3,900 teaching and 900 non-teaching posts will be filled through scheme-based recruitment.
The Cabinet approved conducting a Limited Direct Recruitment (LDR) test for left-out School Management Committee (SMC) teachers, including Post Graduate Teachers (PGTs) and Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs). Computer teachers working in government schools on an outsourced basis will also be eligible for recruitment through LDR.
Other employment decisions include filling 500 Assistant Staff Nurse posts, 320 Assistant Professor posts under the backlog quota, 172 Multi-Task Worker posts in the Public Works Department (PWD), and 500 Assistant Forest Guard posts.
The Cabinet also approved filling 40 Assistant Lecturers and 120 Assistant Craft Instructors in the Technical Education Department. Recruitment was cleared for 30 radiologists, 13 clinical psychologists and six perfusionists in Medical Education, along with 24 specialist and super-specialist Medical Officer posts at Dr RPGMC Tanda.
Several other posts were approved across departments, including education, horticulture, forests, cooperation, transport, treasury, animal husbandry and forensic services. The Cabinet also approved 29 Junior Office Assistants (IT) on compassionate grounds in the Education Department.
Honorarium Hikes for Anganwadi Workers and Van Mitras
In a significant decision concerning frontline workers, the Cabinet approved increasing the monthly honorarium of Anganwadi Workers from Rs. 10,500 to Rs. 11,500 and that of Anganwadi Helpers from Rs. 5,800 to Rs. 6,800.
The annual income ceiling for appointing Anganwadi Workers and Helpers belonging to widow, destitute and single-woman categories was increased from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 75,000.
The monthly honorarium of Van Mitras was raised from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 12,000. Special Police Officers deployed in border areas will receive an additional Rs. 500 per month, effective April 1, 2026.
The Cabinet also increased the monthly pension for persons with 100 per cent disability to Rs. 3,000, effective April 1, 2026. Cook-cum-helpers engaged in government schools under the PM-POSHAN Scheme will receive 12 days of casual leave annually.
Increased Support for Dairy Farmers and Fishermen
To strengthen the rural economy, the Cabinet approved doubling assistance under the Milk Incentive Scheme from Rs. 3 to Rs. 6 per litre.
It also directed government departments to procure their milk and milk-product requirements from Milkfed to ensure a reliable market for dairy farmers.
The Cabinet approved the Mukhyamantri Machhuara Sahayata Yojana to provide remunerative prices to reservoir fishermen. Under the scheme, a minimum support price of Rs. 100 per kilogram will be offered for reservoir fish. If fish is sold through auction below this price, the state government will provide a subsidy of up to Rs. 20 per kilogram.
Additionally, a Trout Risk Fund Scheme with an outlay of Rs. 1 crore was approved to protect trout farmers against disaster-related losses.
Special Relief Package for Boh Valley
The Cabinet approved a special relief package for disaster-affected families in Boh Valley of Kangra district.
Families whose houses have been completely damaged will receive Rs. 7.50 lakh, while Rs. 1 lakh will be provided for the loss of household belongings. The package also includes rental assistance of Rs. 5,000 and free ration for six months.
Compensation has been fixed at Rs. 55,000 for the loss of a buffalo and Rs. 15,000 for the loss of a goat or sheep. Fisheries-related losses will attract assistance of Rs. 1 lakh. Farmers will receive Rs. 2,000 per kanal for crop losses and Rs. 5,000 for damage to agricultural land.
The Cabinet also approved an additional Rs. 603 crore for continuing and expanding interventions under the Integrated Development Project for Sustainability and Climate-Resilient Rainfed Agriculture in Solan district.
New Courts and Enhanced Assistance for Home Guards
To strengthen the judicial response to drug-related offences, the Cabinet approved establishing two dedicated courts, one each in Kangra and Mandi, exclusively for trials under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Financial assistance under the President’s Merits Assistance Scheme for Home Guard Volunteers and their families was increased from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 25,000 in cases of sudden and unforeseen acute distress, including illness or injury. In the event of death, the assistance will be Rs. 1 lakh.
The Cabinet also approved the Witness Protection Scheme and the opening of a new police post at Koti under Dhalli Police Station in Shimla district, along with eight posts.
Healthcare Infrastructure Gets a Major Push
The Cabinet approved upgrading Primary Health Centre (PHC) Darini, also known as Ridkumar, in Kangra district to a Community Health Centre (CHC). New PHCs were approved at Sansal in Kangra and Panjoa in Una district.
It also approved opening a new Jal Shakti Section at Darini in the Shahpur Assembly constituency.
A Government Nursing College will be established at Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru Government Medical College, Chamba, with 60 seats for B.Sc. Nursing.
Two independent super-speciality departments—Critical Care Medicine and Surgical Gastroenterology—will be established, alongside strengthening Blood Transfusion, Anaesthesia and Radiology departments through the creation of requisite posts.
The Cabinet also approved creating and filling 10 posts for MCH Kullu and renaming the HP Government Dental College and Hospital, Shimla, as Rajiv Gandhi Government Dental College and Hospital, Shimla.
Power Projects, Tourism and Urban Development
The Cabinet cancelled the allotment of 33 small hydroelectric projects, each with an installed capacity below 5 MW, citing developers’ lack of seriousness in pursuing them. Fresh bids will be invited for the 126 MW Chhatru and 205 MW Ropa I and III power projects.
Nine ecotourism sites were approved for allotment for ecotourism activities. The Cabinet also decided to accord international status to the State-level Holi Mela at Sujanpur.
Other infrastructure decisions include establishing a City Centre at the old bus stand in Hamirpur, an Inter-State Bus Terminal at Shitalpur in Baddi, and an eight-storey multi-level parking facility-cum-toilet complex at Shri Baba Balak Nath Temple, Deotsidh.
The redevelopment of Chotta Shimla Chowk, including the construction of an underpass, was also approved.
Education, Administration and Other Key Decisions
The Cabinet approved transferring land for constructing Kendriya Vidyalayas at Gokul Nagar in Una district and Fuftu in Shimla district.
It decided to rename the Department of Technical Education, Vocational and Industrial Training as the Department of Technical Education, Skill and Entrepreneurship Development. A separate Directorate of Recruitment will be established, with 14 posts approved in the first phase.
The Cabinet also approved amending the HP E-stamping Rules, 2026, to provide statutory recognition to digital stamping services, and approved the Nutrition Policy 2026.
The Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Development Project (HPSHIVA) was extended by two years beyond June 2028, until June 2030. The Cabinet also decided to take over management of Pir Nigah Temple in Una district.
A sub-committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, with Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar and Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi as members, will formulate comprehensive guidelines regulating transfers of state government employees to their home districts and within the same district.
Further decisions included revising cash-award provisions for Himachal Pradesh sportspersons in medal-winning Indian teams at international events and creating posts of District Youth Services and Sports Officers for international-level medal winners.
The wide-ranging decisions reflect the government’s focus on employment generation, strengthening public services, supporting vulnerable communities and improving infrastructure across Himachal Pradesh.
