Himachal Cabinet Decisions: Income Limit for Compassionate Appointments Raised to ₹3 Lakh, Age Relaxation Approved

Shimla, July 30:
The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, approved amendments to the existing Compassionate Employment Policy during its meeting on Wednesday. As per the revised policy, the annual family income eligibility limit has been increased from ₹2.5 lakh to ₹3 lakh.

Priority for compassionate appointments will now be given to widows and orphaned applicants below the age of 45, as well as to dependents of government employees who lost their lives while on duty. In cases where vacancies under the existing 5% quota are not available, the Cabinet has approved a one-time relaxation to accommodate eligible applicants.

The Cabinet also approved an increase in the number of B.Sc. Nursing seats at Sister Nivedita Government Nursing College, Shimla, from 60 to 100. Additionally, it cleared the establishment of a new B.Sc. Nursing College with 60 annual seats at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda (Kangra), and sanctioned 27 posts of various categories for its operation.

To ensure gender equality in workplaces, the Cabinet has allowed women employees in shops and commercial establishments to work night shifts from 7 PM to 7 AM. These employees will also be entitled to maternity benefits under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.

A cabinet sub-committee headed by Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan was constituted to oversee the development of a Medical Device Park on 300 acres in Nalagarh. The committee will submit its report within two months. The Cabinet also approved amendments to the Himachal Pradesh Minor Mineral (Concession) and Minerals (Prevention of Illegal Mining, Transportation, and Storage) Rules, 2015. Under the revised provisions, contractors or agencies involved in road-cutting work will now be allowed to use desilted and excavated material from reservoir projects for personal use. Any leftover raw or finished material will be auctioned by a designated committee following due process.

The Cabinet approved an extension of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and Alliance Air Aviation Limited for operations on the Shimla–Dharamshala–Shimla air route, now valid from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

The Cabinet also approved the cancellation of 172 small hydropower projects (under 5 MW) under HIMURJA, which had been stalled for a long time. These projects will now be re-advertised. In the future, all new projects up to 5 MW will be required to provide 12% free power royalty and contribute 1% to a local area development fund.

Additionally, the Cabinet approved the cancellation of 22 hydropower projects (above 5 MW) that had been allotted by the Energy Department but had not progressed to agreement stage. Other remaining project developers have been given time until August 5, 2025, to respond to show-cause notices. A committee will also be formed to settle, out of court, the principal amount of interest-free advance premiums with 14 project developers.

In support of expanding the Kangra Airport, the Cabinet has extended the timeline under Section 26 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, by one year, until August 16, 2026, to complete land acquisition proceedings.

The Cabinet also approved the development plan for the Dhaulakuan–Majra planning area in district Sirmaur, aimed at promoting sustainable economic growth while preserving natural resources and environmental aesthetics.

Approval was also given to restructure the Patwar Circle of Naleti in Kangra district. Under this, Mahal-Masota and Balahar areas from Dehra tehsil have been transferred to the Patwar Circle of Garh under Pragpur tehsil.

During the meeting, a detailed presentation was made on the state’s efforts to combat drug abuse. The Excise and Taxation Department outlined the steps being taken to address this serious issue.