SHIMLA: Reviewing Covid-19 situation in Himachal Pradesh, the state cabinet on Monday decided to open all the educational institutions in the state from February 17. It also decided to open all gyms and cinema halls and allow all kind of langars.
The cabinet also decided to grant revised pension and family pension to about 1.73 lakh pensioners/family pensioners of the state from February 1, 2022. This decision would ensure revision of pension/family pension of 1.30 lakh pensioners/family pensioners from January 1, 2016. About 43,000 employees, who have retired between January 1, 2016 and December 31 last year would also get revised pension and gratuity. Now minimum pension/family pension would increase from Rs 3,500 per month to Rs 9,000 per month from January 1, 2016. It also gave its nod to increase limit of gratuity from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh from January 1, 2016 which would also be applicable for NPS employees.
In the cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, it was decided that pensioners/family pensioners of the state above 80 years would be provided due additional pension benefit on revised pension/family pension. It also decided to provide invalid pension and family pension to NPS employees of the state government on which Rs 250 crore would be spent.
The cabinet also decided to provide 31% dearness relief to the pensioners from July 1 last year. An annual additional expenditure of Rs 1,785 crore would be incurred on account of revision of pension. The state government had already provided Rs 1,450.44 crore to the pensioners as interim relief. It also gave its nod for the governor’s address in assembly. Approval for filling eight posts of sub-fire officers in the Himachal Pradesh fire services department on a contractual basis through Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission was also given.
It also approved three sub-fire stations for Dheera in Kangra district, Bhatiyat in Chamba and Rewalsar in Mandi, and three new fire posts at Chirgaon in Shimla, Bhoranj in Hamirpur district and at South Portal of Atal Tunnel Rohtang. It also gave its nod for creating and filling one post of sub-fire officer, 2 of leading fireman, 14 of firemen and six of driver-cum-pump operator in each of the new sub-fire stations
