HP extends corona curfew till May 31
The Cabinet also approved the excise policy for the financial year 2021-22, which envisages a collection of ₹1,829 crore – ₹228 crore higher than the financial year 2020-21, thereby registering an increase of 14%
The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, which met on Monday, decided to extend the corona curfew in the state for another week till May 31.

In the meeting, which was presided over by chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, it was decided that private hospitals in the state will be encouraged to conduct vaccinations. It was suggested that members of legislative assembly (MLAs) along with sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) review the treatment being provided to Covid patients in home isolation in their respective areas.
The Cabinet also approved the excise policy for the financial year 2021-22, which envisages a collection of ₹1,829 crore – ₹228 crore higher than the financial year 2020-21, thereby registering an increase of 14%.
Considering the present situation, the excise year 2020-21 has been extended by one month up to June 30. The new excise policy will be operational for nine months from July 1 to March 31, 2022. Approval was also given for renewal of retail excise vends in the state for the year 2021-22 for a renewal fees of 3% of the value of unit or vend. This has been done to augment the government’s revenue, reduce the price of liquor and curb its smuggling from neighbouring states.
The Cabinet also decided to extend the year’s toll leases by one month up to June 30. The leases for 2021-22 will be valid till March 31, 2022.
It approved a new scheme for implementation of a project on fodder development as per the announcement of the chief minister in the 2021-22 budget. The project envisages propagation of planting stock of perennial high-yielding grass species, fodder trees and their further dissemination on farmer’s fields as well as gausadans in the state.
The Cabinet approved 33 posts of different categories, 11 each in newly created municipal corporations in Mandi, Solan and Palampur for smooth functioning of these corporations and 20 posts of drivers in agriculture department. It also decided to open a new sub-tehsil at Thakurdwara in Kangra and Telka in Chamba district. A sub-tehsil Nagrota Surian in Kangra district will also be upgraded to tehsil along with creation of requisite posts.
The ministers gave the nod for opening a new division of the public works department at Sarahan in Sirmaur district at Gagal Shikor along with two new sections at Sarahan-II and Gagal Shikor. They also decided to open a new Government Pharmacy College in Sulah Vidhan Sabha area of Kangra district.
Around 34 vacant posts of associate and assistant professors will be filled at Dr YS Parmar Government Medical College, Nahan; Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College, Chamba; Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Ner Chowk; Dr Radhakrishanan Government Medical College, Hamirpur; IGMC, Shimla; and RPGMC, Tanda. A new post of assistant professor in the rheumatology cell in the department of general medicine in IGMC, will be created, it was decided.
Five vacant posts of professors, assistant professors and associate professors will be filled in the department of nephrology in IGMC Shimla and RPGMC, Tanda, it was decided. The cabinet also accorded its approval to procure a CT Scan 128 Slice machine at a cost of ₹4.28 crore for RPGMC, Tanda.
The community health centre in Dharampur, Solan will be upgraded from a six-bedded unit to 50-bedded unit. The ministers also agreed to shift the health sub-centre Tatapani in Mandi district to Sanwidhar Khanderi.
Legislators can now use flags on vehicles
Himachal Pradesh legislators in can now use flags on official, private and hired vehiclesso that they can get their due recognition.
The Cabinet has authorised Vidhan Sabha speaker to specify the design of the flag, said urban development minister Suresh Bhardwaj. Most legislator had been yearning for permission to hoist flags as the government has allowed bureaucrats and police officers to use flags on their vehicles. After the government had limited the use of the red beacons in 2017. The Vidhan Sabha in 2019 issued stickers from the Assembly for legislators’ vehicles.

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