Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday, took several major decisions including the creation and filling of 1,066 posts across various departments. Despite the discontinuation of Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG), the government has decided to continue the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and maintain recruitment processes across all departments.
Briefing about the Cabinet decisions, Ministers Harshwardhan Chauhan and Rohit Thakur stated that the RDG discontinuation has dealt a major blow to Himachal’s development and is an injustice to the state. However, the Cabinet has decided that the government will mobilize its own resources, noting that approximately Rs 3,500 crore in revenue has been generated over the past three years.
“Himachal’s development momentum will not stop,” the ministers asserted. The Cabinet also approved the Governor’s address to be delivered during the upcoming budget session of the Assembly.
The Cabinet approved the Indira Gandhi Matru Shishu Sankalp Yojana aimed at improving nutrition for children under six years, pregnant women, and lactating mothers through better supplementary nutrition.
Significantly, marriage grants for persons with disabilities have been increased. For those with over 70 percent disability, the financial assistance has been raised from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh. Those with 40-70 percent disability will receive a grant of Rs 25,000.
The Cabinet approved creating 600 posts (150 each) for Sanskrit teachers, Physical Education teachers, Music teachers, and Drawing teachers for proposed CBSE schools. These positions will be filled through the State Selection Commission.
Additionally, 31 boys’ and girls’ schools across the state will be merged into co-educational institutions.
Changes were approved to the Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojana to provide financial assistance to daughters of widows pursuing professional courses in government institutions inside and outside the state. Where hostel facilities are unavailable, they will receive Rs 3,000 monthly for rent.
The Cabinet approved a project worth Rs 1,617.40 crore to modernize medical colleges, super-specialty hospitals, and model health institutions. The project aims to strengthen healthcare services and eliminate the need for patients to seek treatment outside the state by ensuring affordable and quality health facilities.
Modern equipment will be procured for 50-bed critical care blocks at Kamla Nehru Hospital Shimla (Maternity and Child Hospital), Sundernagar and Nurpur Civil Hospitals, Una Regional Hospital, and Bhoranj Civil Hospital. A district integrated public health laboratory will be set up at Bilaspur Regional Hospital.
Two new departments—Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion—will be established at Dr. YS Parmar Government Medical College, Nahan, with necessary posts to be filled.
The Cabinet also approved implementing a Biomedical Equipment Management and Maintenance Program across all public health institutions to ensure regular equipment maintenance, enhance patient safety, prevent breakdowns, and improve hospital operations.
The Cabinet approved filling:
- 190 Junior Engineer (Civil) posts in the Recruitment Directorate as a separate cadre
- 151 Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts
- 40 Pharmacy Officer posts in Health and Family Welfare Department
- 150 Assistant Staff Nurse posts in the Health Department
- 30 Radiographer posts in the Health Department
- 10 Food Safety Officer posts in the Health Safety and Regulation Department (newly created)
- 5 Welfare Officer posts in the Sainik Welfare Department
- 3 JOA (IT) posts in the Revenue Department
The Cabinet approved establishing drug testing laboratories in Nurpur, Baddi, and Una with the creation and filling of 36 posts across various categories.
The Cabinet also approved the Toll Tax Barrier Policy 2026-27 and Excise Policy 2026-27. Additionally, eight outsourced posts for sanitation workers in the High Court were approved, and female Home Guards will be granted 26 weeks of maternity leave.
