Cabinet nod to Rs 500 enhancement in honorarium of PWD multitask workers

The Cabinet today approved enhancement in the honorarium of multitask workers of the Public Works Department (PWD) from Rs 5,000 to Rs 5,500 per month, benefitting around 5,000 workers.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet held here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. The Cabinet also gave its nod to the proposal to introduce a Milk Incentive Scheme for farmers supplying milk to eligible non-government dairy cooperative societies. Under this scheme, a subsidy of Rs 3 per litre will be provided to milk producers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.

The Cabinet also decided that only bonafide Himachali candidates will be eligible to apply for the reclassified Group-C posts, which earlier allowed applicants from across the country to apply. Earlier, these Level-11 posts were categorised under Group-B and the recruitment was conducted by the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission, which will now be done by the Himachal Pradesh Rajya Chayan Aayog.

The Cabinet also approved the decision to shift the office of the HP Tourism Development Corporation from Shimla to Dharamsala with Kangra having been declared the tourism capital of the state.

It was also decided to create and fill 101 posts of various categories in the Police Lines of District Police Dehra.

To encourage self-employment and reduce dependence on conventional energy sources, the Cabinet approved the provision of interest subsidies for the establishment of solar power projects. Under this initiative, a 5 per cent interest subsidy will be provided for solar projects ranging from 100 KW to 1 MW in tribal areas and 4 per cent subsidy for projects with capacities between 250 KW and 2 MW in non-tribal regions.

The Cabinet also approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between HIMURJA and selected gram panchayats for the installation of 500 KW solar power plants in 100 panchayats under the Green Panchayat Scheme. Each project is expected to generate revenue of approximately Rs 25 lakh per month. Out of this, 30 per cent of the earnings will go to HIMURJA, 20 per cent to the state government and 40 per cent to the respective gram panchayats. An additional 10 per cent share will be allocated to gram panchayats specifically for the welfare of orphans and widows.

The Cabinet gave its consent for emergency response centre in each of the 3,645 panchayats of the state to ensure effective response in the event of natural disasters to save the human lives and properties.