The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, in its meeting held at Shimla on Saturday, has increased the minimum fare on buses in the state from Rs 5 to 10.
The Cabinet meeting held at Shimla, presided over by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, also decided to regularise the services of contractual employees who have completed two years of continuous service as of March 31, 2025.
It also approved taking over several power projects allotted to central PSUs due to inordinate delays in the commissioning of these projects , which include the 382 MW Sunni, 210 MW Luhri Stage-I, and 66 MW Dhaulasidh projects from SJVNL, besides the 500 MW Dugar and 180 MW Baira Suil hydroelectric projects allotted to NHPC.
The Cabinet accorded approval for two new 50-bedded Critical Care Blocks (CCBs) at PHC Swahan (Regional Hospital Bilaspur) and at Civil Hospital Rohru in Shimla district.
The accorded sanction for procurement of medical equipment for the under-construction mother and child hospitals Kamla Nehru Hospital Shimla, Regional Hospital Una, and Civil Hospital Sundernagar in Mandi district.
The Cabinet also decided to hike stipends of Senior Residents and Tutor Specialists from Rs 65000 to Rs 100000 and that of Super Specialists and Senior Residents to Rs 1,30,000.
The Cabinet decided on the re-auctioning of nearly 400 unsold retail liquor vends and signed a contract with Eastern India Hotels Ltd to run Wild Flower Hotel for three months.
It also decided to start 402 new EV charging stations in government buildings and implement the provisions of the Himachal Pradesh Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1985, in the remaining Urban Local Bodies.
