Shimla, May 6: In a series of wide-ranging decisions, the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, on Tuesday approved key policy and administrative changes across departments, including regularization of part-time workers, departmental relocations, infrastructure expansion, and recruitment drives.
The Cabinet decided to convert part-time Class IV workers into daily wagers across departments, provided they have completed seven years of uninterrupted service as of March 31, 2025. A government spokesperson confirmed that this move aims to bring long-serving staffers into the formal wage system, thereby ensuring better job security and benefits.
The Cabinet is expected to reconvene on Wednesday and may discuss the proposal to raise the retirement age of state government employees from 58 to 59 years, along with recommendations submitted by the Cabinet Sub-committee on Resource Mobilisation.
Among the major structural shifts approved, the wildlife wing of the Forest Department will be relocated from Shimla to Dharamsala—marking it as the second significant departmental office, after the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), to be shifted to the city.
The Cabinet also greenlit the transfer of the district jail in Mandi to a newly built facility at Ner Chowk. The existing Mandi premises will be repurposed into an open jail for women inmates.
In a move toward digital governance, the Cabinet approved the Himachal Pradesh Online Filing and Processing of Court Cases Rules, 2025, under the Revenue Department. The new rules will enable revenue courts to accept and process applications, appeals, revisions, and reviews online, thereby streamlining administrative procedures.
To curb unregulated development, the Cabinet authorized the preparation of development plans for Chintpurni in Una, Sarahan in Shimla, and Bhota in Hamirpur district. These plans aim to manage rural expansion and control unchecked commercial growth along national highways.
In a step to improve transparency and standardization in public hiring, the Cabinet approved updated guidelines governing the requisitioning of vacancies, selection procedures, and appointment offers. A Cabinet Sub-committee will be constituted to oversee these aspects for future recruitments.
Public transport in the state received a boost as the Cabinet sanctioned 350 new stage carriage routes. Additionally, it approved supplementary routes for 18-seater tempo travellers by private operators, responding to local commuting demands.
On the recruitment front, the Cabinet cleared the appointment of 81 Medical Officers, including 68 for casualty services, and sanctioned the hiring of 18 technical professionals for the Forensic Services Department.
To cater to Shimla’s growing administrative and commercial needs, the Cabinet approved the construction of a commercial complex featuring two high-rise towers—14 and 17 storeys—in Chotta Shimla.
In water services, the Jal Shakti Department was designated as the implementing agency for drinking water supply schemes under the 15th Finance Commission, to be executed on behalf of the panchayats.
Further land allocations were also approved: 21 bighas in Changar Palasiyan will be transferred free of cost to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for the expansion of AIIMS-Bilaspur.
Besides, 52 bighas in Sarol (Chamba district) will go to the Union Ministry of Education for establishing a Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya.
