Himachal govt orders lowering of pension age, removal of non-

The newly constituted Himachal Pradesh cabinet today approved lowering the age for providing social security pension, from 80 years to 70 years, along with removal of chairpersons/vice chairpersons and non-official members of boards and corporations with immediate effect.
The cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, also announced that income would be no criteria for extending social security benefits to persons above age of 70 years.
The cabinet also decided to hold the first session of state Assembly at Dharamsala from January 9 to 12 in which newly elected MLAs would take oath and the election of Speaker would be held.

The state government also issued directions to put on hold the entire recruitment process being carriedoutside the purview of HP Public Service Commission and Staff Selection Commission.
In another decision, the BJP government decided to review the decisions taken by the previous government during past six months.
It also decided to constitute a sub-committee to look into the problems created by wild and stray animals.
The chief minister thanked the people of the state, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bestowingfaith in the newly-formed government.
Former chief minister Virbhadra Singh congratulated Thakur and hoped that the present government would honour the developmental programmes started by the Congress regime.