HP cabinet approves toll tax barrier policy and excise policy FY27, panel for state lottery rules

Shimla, Feb 12 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Cabinet on Thursday approved the toll tax barrier policy and excise policy 2026-27 and gave its nod to constitute a Cabinet Sub-Committee to frame the draft HP State Lottery (Regulation) Rules, 2026.

The committee would be headed by Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh with Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani as a member while the Director, Treasury and Accounts, will serve as the Member Secretary of the committee.

The Cabinet, in a meeting held here on Thursday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu approved a project for modernizing medical colleges, super-specialty hospitals and Adarsh Swasthya Sansthans with an outlay of Rs 1617.40 crore.

The project aims to strengthen healthcare services within the State and eliminate the need for patients to seek treatment outside the State by ensuring affordable and quality healthcare facilities within the state, a statement issued here said.

It also gave nod for filling up of 220 posts of different categories in health and family welfare department and to establish Drug Testing Laboratories at Nurpur, Baddi and Una, along with the creation and filling up of 36 posts of various categories.

Further, the Cabinet approved the creation and filling up of 190 Junior Engineer (Civil) and 151 posts of Junior Office Assistant (Information Technology) in the Directorate of Recruitment, as separate cadres.

The cabinet approved the Governor's address to be delivered during the upcoming Budget Session of the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha and decided to extend the benefit of 26 weeks of maternity leave to female Home Guard volunteers.

It approved amendments to the 'Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojana' to provide financial assistance to daughters of widows pursuing professional courses in government-run institutions, both within and outside the State.

They will also be eligible for rent assistance of Rs. 3,000 per month in cases where hostel facilities are not available.

Sanction to roll out the 'Indira Gandhi Matri Shishu Sankalp Yojana', aimed at improving the nutritional status of children below six years of age and as well as expectant women and lactating mothers, through enhanced supplementary nutrition was also given.

It further decided to enhance the marriage grant for specially abled persons with disability of more than 70 per cent from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh and provide Rs 25,000 as marriage grant for persons with disabilities between 40 and 70 per cent.

The Cabinet gave its nod to create 600 posts - 150 posts each of Sanskrit Teachers, Physical Education Teachers, Music Teachers and Drawing Teachers for the proposed CBSE schools. These posts will be filled up through Rajya Chayan Aayog. Additionally, it was decided to merge 31 boy's and girl's schools across the State into co-educational schools.

Decision to establish the Distil Global Skills and Digital University in Chamba district and implementation of the Digital Classroom Project in 777 additional schools across the State was also taken. PTI BPL MR