The Himachal government has decided to close all educational institutions till April 21 for students, teachers and non-teaching staff, except those engaged in examination duty, in view of a sharp surge in COVID-19 cases.
This was decided in the State Cabinet Meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Friday.
The Cabinet has also decided to fill up 311 posts of guards in the Forest Department through direct recruitment and 25 posts of Agriculture Development Officers on contract basis through HP Public Service Commission.
The cabinet also gave its approval for creation of five posts each of different categories in the newly created Nagar Panchayats of Shahpur, Chirgaon, Nerwa, Nirmand, Anni, Kandaghat and Amb.
It decided to implement central sector scheme SVAMITVA in the state for surveying the land pockets in rural habitations by using drones with the support of Panchayati Raj Institutions and Revenue Department as nodal agency. For carrying this work MOU would be signed with the Survey of India and a steering committee at state and district levels would be formed.
The cabinet also gave its nod to extend employment on compassionate ground to eligible indigent of the deceased employees against available vacant posts of Class-III and Class-IV in relaxation of 5 percent quota against the available vacant posts in Shimla, Kinnaur, Solan, Kangra DC offices and in the Settlement Office Kangra Division.
It gave its consent to develop a multi storey parking –cum- shopping complex in U -Block Mandi under PPP mode with an annual concession fee of Rs 63, 63000 with taxes. The selected bidder will also have to deposit upfront money of Rs 2 crore in five equal instalments.
It also gave its approval for upgrading Community Health Centres (CHC) Khundian and Gangath to fifty bedded hospitals, to upgrade Tiyara PHC to CHC in Kangra district and upgrade Samot PHC to fifty bedded CHC in Chamba district.