HP cabinet nod to regularise services of contractual employees, take over 5 hydroelectric projects
HP cabinet nod to regularise services of contractual employees, take over 5 hydroelectric projects
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh cabinet on Saturday decided to regularise the services of contractual employees who have completed two years of continuous service as on March 31, 2025.
It also approved the takeover of three hydroelectric projects from Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited and two from National Hydroelectric Power Corporation .
The state cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, also approved the regularisation of daily wage workers and contingent paid workers who have completed four years of continuous service by March 31.
It approved takeover of the 382 Mega Watt Sunni, 210 MW Luhri Stage-I and 66 MW Dhaulasidh hydroelectric projects that were earlier allotted to SJVNL, as well as the 500 MW Dugar and 180 MW Baira Suil hydroelectric projects allotted to the NHPC.
Earlier, the chief minister had maintained that the previous state governments had given the hydropower projects at 12 per cent royalty for an indefinite period, which was wrong, and the projects would be taken back if the royalty is not paid at 12, 18 and 30 per cent and the project returned after 40 years in accordance with the government policy.
The cabinet on Saturday approved the appointment of an independent evaluator to assess the actual expenditure incurred on the Sunni, Luhri Stage-I, Dhaulasidh and Dugar projects, to facilitate their takeover. For the takeover of the Baira Suil project, approval was granted for the appointment of an administrator.
Sanction was also accorded to establish a 50-bedded critical care block each at Regional Hospital Bilaspur and Civil Hospital Rohru in Shimla district with the required equipment and also the setting up of District Integrated Public Health Laboratories at medical colleges in Chamba and Hamirpur.
It was also decided to enhance the stipend for senior residents and tutor specialists from the existing ₹60,000-65,000 to ₹1 lakh per month and the stipend for super specialists and senior residents from ₹60,000-65,000 to ₹1.30 lakh per month.
Recommendations of the cabinet sub-committee constituted to strengthen the Rogi Kalyan Samiti across the state was also approved.
The recommendations included establishment of high-tech laboratories in all government medical colleges and the provision of free diagnostic services to orphans, widows and their dependent children, ekal nari and destitute women.
With the inclusion of these three new categories, the total number of beneficiary categories eligible for free diagnostic services will increase from 11 to 14.
The cabinet gave nod to the recommendations of the sub-committee on resource mobilisation chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and also approved the immediate re-auctioning of around 400 retail liquor vends on an individual basis.
Additionally, it gave a go-ahead to enter into a management service contract with East India Hotels Ltd for the interim operation of Hotel Wildflower Hall in Mashobra, ensuring a monthly revenue of ₹1.77 crore for the state and safeguarding the property from deterioration until a new operator is selected through a competitive e-auction or bidding process.
The court had directed East India Hotels of Oberoi Group to return the Wildflower Hall Hotel, a five-star property located at Mashobra in the suburbs of Shimla city, to the Himachal government by March 31. However, an agreement was reached between both the parties, allowing the Oberoi Group to manage the hotel for three more months.
To support the adoption of electric vehicles, it decided to set up 402 new EV charging stations at government premises across the state.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
