Women to get 25% reservation in Class-III govt jobs in state: Himachal CM

Enhanced representation of women in government services took centre stage as Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday announced that the state government would introduce a law providing 25 per cent reservation for women in recruitment to Class-III posts in government departments across Himachal Pradesh.The announcement was made while presiding over the state-level celebrations of International Women’s Day held at Nahan in Sirmaur district. Sukhu also announced a special recruitment drive for women sub-inspectors in the Police Department, saying that the government was committed to strengthening women’s participation in policing and other public services.Several key development initiatives were announced during the function. The Chief Minister declared an allocation of Rs 500 crore for the development of Nahan Medical College to upgrade infrastructure and enhance medical facilities. He also announced that the Mahila Samman Rashi would be increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh. In addition, MSc (zoology), MBA and MA (history) courses would be introduced at PG College, Nahan, from the next academic session.Extending greetings on the occasion, Sukhu said women’s welfare remained a top priority of the state government and that women were at the centre of every policy initiative. He said the government had ensured equal rights for daughters in ancestral property up to 150 bighas, giving them rights equal to sons.Highlighting social welfare measures, he said under the Mukhyamantri Sukh Shiksha Yojana the government was bearing the cost of higher education for children of widowed women. He added that the entire administrative leadership in Lahaul-Spiti district was currently being handled by women officers, while the Deputy Commissioners of Sirmaur and Hamirpur district were also women.Sukhu said the legal marriage age for women in the state had been increased from 18 to 21 years and that the government was encouraging widow remarriage by increasing the incentive amount from Rs 65,000 to Rs 2 lakh. He added that 30 per cent reservation had already been provided to women in police recruitment and the government was also considering providing a monthly pension of Rs 1,500 to women from next year.Referring to the 2023 natural disaster, he said the state government had revised relief rules and significantly enhanced compensation for affected families. Despite administrative advice, the government decided to provide Rs 7 lakh for house reconstruction.The Chief Minister criticised the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, alleging that its legislators walked out of the Assembly when a special relief package for disaster-affected families was proposed. He also termed February 1, 2026, a “black day” for Himachal Pradesh, claiming that the Centre had stopped the Rs 10,000 crore annual Revenue Deficit Grant to the state.Earlier, Sukhu inaugurated and laid foundation stones of 17 development projects worth about Rs 190 crore during his one-day tour to Sirmaur district, including infrastructure, road and educational projects in and around Nahan.

Women to get 25% reservation in Class-III govt jobs in state: Himachal CM

CM unveils recruitment drive for women SIs, announces welfare & development initiatives

Pankaj Sharma

Women to get 25% reservation in Class-III govt jobs in state: Himachal CM

CM unveils recruitment drive for women SIs, announces welfare & development initiatives

Pankaj Sharma

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