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Shimla — The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet has approved several key decisions aimed at boosting employment, strengthening health infrastructure, promoting renewable energy, and supporting students. To streamline recruitment and create new employment opportunities, the Cabinet decided to create a separate State Cadre for Junior Office Assistant (IT) under the Directorate of Recruitment, with 300 posts as Job Trainee in the first phase. The Cabinet also gave its approval for the construction of Nahan Medical College on newly selected land for its expansion and granted ex-post facto permission for introducing new postgraduate and super speciality courses under the Department of Medical Education and Research to regulate admissions in these streams. In a related decision, the Cabinet approved the shifting of 32 newly created posts of Assistant Professors to the Departments of Emergency Medicine at IGMC Shimla, Dr. RPGMC Tanda, SLBSGMC Ner Chowk, and Dr. RKGMC Hamirpur, bringing them under the establishment of the Directorate of Medical Education. The government also approved the framing of a new Resident Doctors Policy-2025 and gave its nod for drafting a Policy/Scheme to regulate the appointment of Assistant Staff Nurses, further strengthening the state’s healthcare system. To promote renewable energy and self-employment, the Cabinet approved amendments to the scheme for setting up Ground Mounted Solar Power Projects, which will now be renamed as the Rajiv Gandhi Swarojgar Saur Urja Yojna. The scheme provides interest subsidies for bonafide Himachalis — five percent in tribal areas and four percent in non-tribal areas — for establishing solar power projects ranging from 100 kW to 2 MW. The Cabinet also approved amendments to the Himachal Pradesh Town and Country Planning Rules, 2014, in line with the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment Scheme (2025–26). To attract private investment in the tourism sector, the Cabinet gave its nod to establish a Tourism Investment Promotion Council (TIPC), which will serve as a platform to evaluate and facilitate tourism investments transparently and efficiently. Further, the Himachal Pradesh General Industries Corporation has been designated as the nodal agency for the procurement, storage, transportation, quality testing, and supply of Extra Neutral Alcohol, rectified spirit, and other spirits used by pharmaceutical units in the state. In a welfare decision, the Cabinet approved 15 days of paternity leave for male contract employees across the state. Focusing on education, the Cabinet decided to open three new Government Primary Schools in Solan district — at Haripur Sandholi-II, Surajmajra Lubana, and Chakkan (Block Baddi) — which fulfill all required norms. Additionally, the Cabinet approved amendments to the Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar Vidyarthi Rin Yojna, expanding the education loan facility at one percent interest rate to cover postgraduate studies. The family income limit for eligibility has also been increased from Rs. 4 lakh to Rs. 12 lakh per annum, ensuring that more students benefit from the scheme.
