Cabinet gives nod to amend Hydropower Policy 2006

The State cabinet today gave its go-ahead to amend the Hydropower Policy 2006 to allow transfer of up to 49 per cent equity shares of Himachali people to non-Himachalis at any stage after allotment of up to 2 MW projects and full disinvestment after two years of its commissioning.
Also, in case of bonafide Himachalis to whom projects up to 2 MW to 5 MW capacity had been allotted, could sell or transfer 51 per cent share to non-Himachali people at any stage after allotment of projects and full disinvestment after two years of commissioning of the project.
It was also decided to cancel four projects namely Joiner-II (3MW) in Chamba, Kanda (0.80 MW) in Sirmaur, Rawin (1 MW) in Shimla and Chahod (2 MW) in Mandi district, an official statement said.

The Cabinet also gave its approval to a proposal to give a number of units of electricity, free of cost to the families affected by Hydel projects as per the tariff determined by Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (HPERC) from time to time.
This shall be done once in a year since the tariff is determined by HPERC, it said.
Also, it was decided to provide 35 kg of ration to the Above Poverty Line (APL) families in tribal areas and three-kg of pulses to all ration card holders.

The Cabinet also approved a hike in honorarium of Jal Rakshaks (Water Guards) engaged through Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) from Rs 1,350 to Rs 1,500 per month, which is likely to benefit 2220 Jal Rakshaks but put a burden of around Rs 8.50 crore annually.

Creation of 855 posts of various categories for Shri Lal Bhadur Shastri Medical College, earlier known as ESIC Medical College and Hospital Mandi, filling up of 70 vacant posts of firemen and 30 of Driver-cum-Pump Operators on contract basis in Fire Services Department, 65 posts of drivers in Irrigation and Public Health Department and 61 posts of various categories for new Government Polytechnic for women at Rehan in district Kangra was also approved.
The Cabinet also decided to launch a special recruitment drive to clear the backlog posts against the new posts in every discipline for other Backward Classes (OBC), it said.

Nod to upgrade Civil Hospital Jawalamukhi to 75-bedded Civil Hospital andto open Primary Health Centres at Shivpur Gagret in Una district, Raja Ka Talabin Kangra district and Basantpur in Shimla district was given.
It also approved openning up of Sub-Tehsils at Sarahan and Taklech in Rampur Sub-Division of Shimla district, a new Hydro Power Engineering College Bandla in Bilaspur district and grant of ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh on death and Rs five lakh on permanent disability to the staff deployed on election duty by State Election Commission, it said.