Himachal cabinet approves panchayat rule amendments, invites objections

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh govt has proposed amendments to certain provisions of the Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj (Elections) Rules, 1994 concerning reservation in Panchayati Raj institutions. The state cabinet, headed by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, on Saturday invited objections and suggestions from the public on proposed amendments.The proposed changes to Rules 28, 87, 88 and 89 stipulate that panchayats reserved continuously for two consecutive terms since the base year 2010 will not be reserved in the forthcoming panchayat elections, scheduled to conclude by May 31. The measure is aimed at ensuring rotation in reservation and giving more panchayats the chance to contest from unreserved seats.
The council of ministers also gave its nod to cancel 15 hydroelectric projects that failed to be commissioned despite availing the benefit of the one-time amnesty scheme. It also decided to allot the 10 megawatt (MW) small hydroelectric project at Pandoh to the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), subject to the return of the unused land by the BBMB to the state govt. The state govt will receive 13% free power and 5% power as its share from the BBMB.Approval was also granted to enhance Heli-Taxi services on the Chandigarh–Shimla–Chandigarh route from 3 sorties to 12 sorties per week, with flights to be operated twice daily for six days a week. The state govt will provide viability gap funding to support the operation.The cabinet also approved amendments to the Social Security Pension Rules, 2010, by redefining the term ‘destitute'. Under the revised provisions, women abandoned by their husbands, who are not living with them and have no independent source of income, will be considered destitute women. It also decided to extend 40% of the local area development fund under the Swaran Jayanti Energy Policy for providing financial assistance to children of the state.The cabinet also approved the constitution of the Regional Cooperative Milk Producers Union Limited at Dhagwar, comprising milk producers from the districts of Kangra, Hamirpur, Chamba and Una. Also, the National Dairy Development Board will be engaged as the administrator for the management and operation of the Dhagwar Milk Processing Plant.It also decided to release the salary of outsourced employees engaged under the Jal Jeevan Mission in Jal Shakti Vibhag from state resources, as the central govt did not release funds under the Jal Jeevan Mission.EmploymentThe cabinet approved filling 60 junior assistant professors in various govt engineering and pharmacy colleges in the department of technical education. Nod was also given to fill two posts of assistant registrar, cooperative societies, and 30 posts of inspector, cooperative societies, in the department of cooperation. It also decided to fill 16 posts of coaches in the sports hostels in the education department.A decision was taken to fill three posts of junior office assistant (IT) in the information and public relations department. Approval was also granted to appoint the remaining seven candidates selected for the post of patwari in 2016 for Lahaul-Spiti and Kullu districts against vacant posts.Nod was given to create a sub-divisional police office at Gagret in Una district, along with the creation and filling of requisite posts. The cabinet decided to upgrade Police Post Kotla to a police station in Nurpur police district, along with the creation and filling of requisite posts. It decided to upgrade Fire Post, Tahliwal, in Una district to a sub fire station, along with the creation and filling of requisite posts.Other DecisionsThe cabinet also gave nod to increase the bed capacity of the Sports Hostel in Kharidi, Hamirpur, to 100 beds, and it would be named as a state-level sports centre of excellence. Approval was also granted to transfer the land in Mauja Kuftu, Kotkhai tehsil in Shimla, and at Mauja Haripur Tohana, Poanta Sahib tehsil, Sirmaur, in favour of the Union ministry of education for opening a new Kendriya Vidyalaya at Kotkhai and Paonta Sahib.The cabinet also gave its consent to grant an 80-year lease in favour of the HIMUDA by amending Rule 7 of the Himachal Pradesh Lease Rules, 2013, which earlier provided that the state govt shall not grant a lease of land for a period exceeding 40 years.It also decided to regularise the services of part-time water carriers working in the education department in Sirmaur district who completed 11 years of service (7 years as part-time water carriers and 4 years as daily wagers) as on March 31, 2025. MSID:: 129218754 413 | Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Women's day wishes, messages and quotes !