E-Paper
Himachal Cabinet eases curbs on public gatherings
The number of attendees permitted will be 50% of the total capacity of the venue or a maximum 200 people indoors; earlier, 150 people were allowed in closed spaces.
In the wake of the ebb in coronavirus cases in the hill-state, the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet eased coronavirus restrictions on Wednesday and told deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to ensure Covid-appropriate behaviour at prominent tourist destinations amid an influx of visitors.
In a Cabinet meeting, presided over by chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, curbs on social, academic, entertainment, cultural and political gatherings were eased. The number of attendees permitted will be 50% of the total capacity of the venue or a maximum 200 people indoors. Earlier, 150 people were allowed in closed spaces.
Monsoon session from August 2
The Cabinet also recommended that the governor convene the monsoon session of Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha from August 2 to 13. The council of ministers gave its consent to bring children who have lost both their parents to Covid under the ambit of the Mukhya Mantri Bal Uddhar Yojana to provide them an additional monthly financial assistance of ₹1,500 per month. It decided to bring orphaned children and senior citizens above the age of 70 under the fold of HIMCARE Scheme. This will benefit about 1,500 orphaned children and 16,304 senior citizens.
It consented to increase the additional honorarium being provided to Asha workers from the existing ₹2,000 to ₹ 2,750 per month. This will benefit around 7,964 workers in the state.
To implement the New Education Policy, question papers for Classes 3, 5 and 8 will be set by HP Board of School Education and their results will be declared at cluster, block and district levels, respectively.
The Cabinet granted a six-week exemption in school internship with respect to diploma in elementary education for the 2018-2020 batch .
Schools to remain closed, college students to be promoted
It was decided that schools will remain closed for students till further orders and online classes will continue in the meantime. The Cabinet also decided to promote first year and second year college students. New admissions and renewal admissions for colleges will start in the last week of July and the new academic year for undergraduate classes will commence from August 16.The Cabinet was informed that around 90% teaching and non-teaching staff had been vaccinated till June 30.
Posts to be filled in hospitals
The Cabinet decided to create one post of medical superintendent in the 200-bedded Civil Hospital, Nurpur, in Kangra district and fill two post of radiographers at Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (RPGMC). One post each of assistant professor, medical social worker and psychologist, two posts of medical officers and five posts of staff nurse will be filled in palliative care services, one post of assistant professor in medical oncology services and one post of assistant professor in general surgery at Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College and Hospital, Nerchowk in Mandi district. One post of professor of obstetrics and gynaecology will be created at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla. An MRI machine worth ₹ 12.5 crore will be set up at RPGMC, Tanda.
The Cabinet gave its approval to upgrade the primary health centre in Chamba district to Community Health Centre along with creation of five posts for its smooth functioning.
The traffic police assistance room, Kufri, in Shimla will be converted into a permanent police post. The post of additional and joint director in the fisheries department at Bilaspur will be created.
