Himachal to regularise contract staffers with two years of continuous service: Sukhu

The Himachal Pradesh cabinet in a meeting on Saturday decided that the services of contractual employees who have completed two years of ‘continuous service’ as on March 31, 2025, will be regularised.

At the meeting chaired by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the cabinet gave a go-ahead to a management service contract with East India Hotels (EIH) Ltd, the Oberoi Group’s flagship company, for the interim operation of Hotel Wildflower Hall, Mashobra, ensuring a monthly revenue of ₹1.77 crore for the state, until a new operator is selected.

The cabinet approved regularisation of daily wageers and contingent paid workers who have completed four years of continuous service as on March 31.

The cabinet approved the takeover of multiple hydroelectric projects, including the 382 MW plant in Sunni, 210 MW one at Luhri Stage-I and the 66 MW Dhaulasidh hydroelectric projects, which were earlier allotted to SJVNL, and the 500 MW Dugar and 180 MW Baira Suil hydroelectric projects allotted to NHPC. ‘

It accorded sanction to establish a 50-bedded critical care block (CCB) at Swahan primary health centre (regional hospital, Bilaspur) and a 50-bedded CCB at Rohru civil hospital in Shimla district. It approved a district integrated public health laboratories at Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College, Chamba, and at district hospital, Hamirpur, attached with Dr Radha Krishnan Government Medical College.

Approval was given for the procurement of equipment for the under-construction mother and child hospital wings at Kamla Nehru Hospital, Shimla, regional hospital, Una and civil hospital, Sundernagar, in Mandi district.

The cabinet decided to enhance monthly stipend for senior residents and tutor specialists from the existing ₹60,000–65,000 to ₹1 lakh. The stipend for super specialists and senior residents was increased to ₹1,30,000 per month as well.

It approved the recommendations of the sub-committee constituted for strengthening the ‘Rogi Kalyan Samiti’ across the state. The committee recommended the establishment of high-tech laboratories at all government medical colleges and the provision of free diagnostic services, including 133 lab tests and X-ray facilities, to orphans, widows and their dependents, and destitute women.

The cabinet okayed the recommendations of the sub-committee on resource mobilisation. The committee proposed various measures aimed at enhancing the revenue of the state.

‘400 liquor vends to be re-auctioned’

The cabinet approved the immediate re-auctioning of the about 400 retail liquor vends on individual basis.

To support the adoption of electric vehicles, it decided to set up 402 charging stations at government premises across the state.

It decided to implement the provisions of the Himachal Pradesh Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1985, in the urban local bodies. The move is aimed at preventing the defacement of public spaces by regulating the display of advertisements.

The cabinet approved to make Atal Adarsh Vidyaalay Marhi in Dharampur constituency of Mandi district functional from the upcoming academic session 2025-26.