H.P. Cabinet Decisions

H.P. Cabinet Decisions  (Part-I)
The Cabinet in its meeting held here today under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur decided to allot Dugar Hydro Electric Project with capacity of 449 MW in favour of NPHC limited on BOOT basis for a period of 70 years after completion of which the project will revert to Government of Himachal Pradesh with specified generation capacity, free of cost and free from all encumbrances.
While reviewing the steps being taken to control spread of drug menace in the State, the Cabinet directed that a special campaign would be launched to check drug menace by involving Education, Health, Police, Social Justice and Empowerment departments besides ensuring active participation of panchayats, mahila mandals, parents, school children and teachers etc. It also directed to promote alternative crops in the traditional cannabis growing areas so that people could be motivated to grow alternative crops.
It was felt that necessary amendments can be made in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act to make it more stringent to curb this menace. It was stressed that a State level Special Task Force be formed to nab the drug peddlers throughout the State. The Cabinet also directed the Home Department to hold  regular coordination meetings at the Director General level with the neighbouring  States. It directed to conduct joint police operations with neighbouring States to check inter-State drug flow.
The Cabinet was apprised that during the last six months poppy was destroyed from 1366 bighas as compared to only six bighas in 2017. Apart from this, 831 drug offenders were arrested and cases were registered against them during the period.
In order to provide major succor to the farming community of the State, the Cabinet approved implementation of  Mukhya Mantri Khet Sarankshan Yojna and Mukhya Green House Renovation Scheme in the State. Under the scheme, 85 percent grant would be provided to group of three or more farmers and 80 percent grant to individual farmer  for erecting solar fencing in their fields for protecting their crops from wild animals. Under Mukhya Mantri Green House Renovation Scheme, 70 percent grant would be given to the farmers for replacing damaged poly sheets of their poly-houses, instead of the current 50 percent.
The Cabinet decided to implement Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Swasthya Suraksha Mission in the State. Nearly five lakh selected families of the State would be provided health insurance cover of rupees five lakh per annum. At present 175 hospitals have been registered for providing free treatment to these families.
The Cabinet approved the procedure for implementation of GST for the running work contracts prior to 1 July, 2017. It also decided to introduce incentive clause in standard bidding document for the works having value of more than Rs. 50 lakh for their early completion and to boost the morale of contractors. It decided to allow contractors for installation of crushers at their sites to convert the muck into useful material so that the same could be reused in construction works.  It also gave approval to allow contractors to procure  various materials such as tor steel, bitumen, CGI/PGI sheets from open market at their own. Cement will be procured by the contractors from Civil Supplies Corporation against permits issued by the concerned Executive Engineer at their own.  By allowing the contractors to procure material at their own level, they will not face shortage of supply in PWD stores which would ensure time bound completion of various works.
The Cabinet decided to enhance the honorarium of Cook-cum-Helpers engaged under Mid Day Meal Scheme in Education Department from the existing Rs. 1500 to Rs. 1800 per month with effect from 1 August, 2018. This will benefit about 22000 persons.
It gave approval to enhance the financial assistance in case of medical emergency to accreditated journalists and retired accreditated journalists under Himachal Pradesh Patrakar Kalyan Yojna from existing Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 2.50 lakh.  The Cabinet also decided to abolish the annual family income criteria of Rs. 1.80 lakh per annum to avail the benefit of this scheme.
The Cabinet gave its nod to provide adequate manpower for effective implementation of JICA assisted Himachal Pradesh Forest Ecosystems Management and Livelihoods Improvement Project to be implemented in six districts of the State viz. Bilaspur, Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, Kinnaur and Lahaul –Spiti. This project will help in sustainable forest ecosystem management, sustainable biodiversity management and livelihoods improvement support in these districts.
It also gave its approval for policy guidelines for extraction and utilization of un-economical salvage timber lots not acceptable to Himachal Pradesh State Forest Development Corporation Ltd.  Due to un-utilization of salvage trees, the State exchequer was suffering huge revenue losses and in order to utilize the un-economical salvage timber lots these policy guidelines have been approved by the Cabinet, which will not only prevent  illegal removal of the trees but also provide timber and fuel wood required by various departments for execution of different developmental activities. As per the guidelines only salvage trees are allowed under TD rights for use in construction of new residential house or cowshed and for their maintenance.
The Cabinet gave its approval for policy for collection and removal of chil pine needles from forest land so that these may be used and utilized for setting up of small scale industries based on chil pine needles. This will reduce forest fire hazards and encourage industries to use chil pine needles as fuel. The State Government will provide investment subsidy of 50 percent of the capital cost for establishing such industries.
In order to redress the long pending demand of Bhakra Dam oustees, the cabinet decided to give maximum relief to the oustees and their families and approved necessary amendments in the policy.
The Cabinet decided to fill up 45 posts of Class-IV employees and three posts of Driver on daily wage basis in Cooperation Department.
It also gave its approval to fill up 18 posts of Lab attendant in Chaudhary Sarvan Kumar Agriculture University Palampur on contract basis.
Approval was accorded to fill up 12 vacant posts of computer operators and one post of IT Programmer on contract basis in Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Minorities and Empowerment of Specially Abled Department through HP Staff Selection Commission, Hamirpur.
The Cabinet gave its consent to fill up 10 vacant posts of drivers in Agriculture Department on daily wage basis.  It also decided to fill up six posts of different categories in Planning Department.
The Cabinet gave its nod to upgrade Veterinary dispensary Ghuwandal in Bilaspur district to Veterinary Hospital alongwith requisite staff.
It decided to bring Gram Panchayat Dagoh under Police Station Lambagaon by excluding it from Police Station Baijnath in Kangra district to facilitate of people of this Gram Panchayat.