The Himachal Pradesh cabinet, during a meeting in Shimla on Saturday, approved significant amendments to the Himachal Pradesh Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Rules, 1989. These amendments enable the regulated cultivation, processing, manufacturing, storage, and transportation of cannabis for medical and scientific purposes. The move aligns with the central government's policy and is expected to boost research and industrial applications of cannabis.
Land Encroachment Regularisation Policy
The cabinet also approved the 'Policy for Regularisation of Certain Encroachments on Govt Land, 2026'. This policy aims to provide relief to landless families and marginal farmers who are currently occupying government land for residential, agricultural, and horticultural purposes. Framed in compliance with Supreme Court directions, the policy has been forwarded to the central government for final approval.
Compassionate Appointment Reconsideration
In a move to address pending grievances, the council of ministers approved the reconsideration of compassionate appointment cases that were previously rejected by various departments. As a one-time measure, deserving cases will be re-examined, and necessary relaxations will be provided where applicable.
Agriculture Loan Interest Subvention Scheme
The cabinet decided to introduce an agriculture loan interest subvention scheme to support farmers. Under this scheme, the state government will bear 50% of the interest burden on eligible agricultural loans up to Rs 3 lakh for farmers whose land faced auction proceedings. This initiative is expected to benefit approximately 6,356 farmers across the state.
Enhancement of HIMCARE Health Scheme
Approval was granted to enhance the HIMCARE health scheme by transitioning it to an insurance-based model. Eligible beneficiaries will now receive health coverage of up to Rs 7 lakh and Rs 10 lakh, compared to the existing limit of Rs 5 lakh. This enhancement aims to provide better financial protection against medical emergencies.
Rajiv Gandhi Swarojgar Start-Up Yojana Phase IV
Under Phase IV of the Rajiv Gandhi Swarojgar Start-Up Yojana, beneficiaries will receive a 50% subsidy for purchasing e-buses and a 30% subsidy for diesel buses to operate on designated routes. This initiative is designed to promote entrepreneurship and sustainable public transportation.
Recruitment Drive and Hospital Upgrades
A major recruitment drive was cleared, including the filling of 400 posts of work inspectors, 300 medical officers, 250 Class IV or multi-task workers, and 200 staff nurses. Additional approvals were granted for 162 technical posts in the health sector and 75 assistant professor positions in medical colleges, along with 17 assistant professor posts at Himachal Pradesh University.
The cabinet also approved 15 days of paternity leave for job trainees, conversion of eligible part-time workers into daily wagers, and a special relief package of Rs 84.7 lakh for 15 fire-affected families in Shimla district.
Hospital Upgrades and Cabinet Sub-Committee
The cabinet approved the upgrade of Baddi civil hospital to a 100-bed facility and the civil hospital in Sarkaghat to a 150-bed hospital. Additionally, a cabinet sub-committee, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, was constituted to examine centralising and streamlining the recruitment process for multi-task workers.
