SHIMLA-20^th July, 2026

Family demands justice for deceased in the Strait of Hormuz

Rajesh Sharma, father of Aditya Sharma, who lost his life in Strait of Hormuz recently, called on Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here today and urged him to raise the matter of Aditya Sharma's death with the Central Government, as no action has been taken by the Central Government so far.

Expressing his condolences with the bereaved family members, the Chief Minister said that the State Government firmly stands with them. He assured the family that he would take up the matter with the Central Government so that justice is ensured. He also prayed for the peace of the departed soul.

Sushma Sharma, mother of Aditya Sharma was also present on the occasion.

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SHIMLA 20^th July, 2026

Income Tax department to organize taxpayer awareness programme on 22 July

A Spokesperson of the Income Tax Department has informed that the department would organise a taxpayer awareness and outreach programme on 22July, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at the Conference Hall, Railway Board Building, Shimla, to guide taxpayers on timely and accurate filing of Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for assessment year 2026-27.

He said that the programme aims to promote voluntary tax compliance by providing guidance on selecting the correct ITR form, choosing the appropriate tax regime, due dates for filing returns, reporting income from various sources, e-filing and e-verification, recent amendments in income tax laws and the consequences of delayed or incorrect filing. An interactive question-and-answer session would also be held.

The Spokesperson further said that the programme would be chaired by Joint Commissioner of Income Tax, Shimla Range Keshav Kishore Anand, while, Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, Shimla Circle Dr. Shikha Sharma would conduct the technical session as the resource officer.

He said that all taxpayers, including salaried employees, pensioners, business owners, MSMEs, professionals, start-ups, stakeholders from the hotel and tourism sector, educational institutions, charitable organizations, women entrepreneurs and first-time return filers have been invited to participate in the programme which would be free of cost.

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SHIMLA 20^th July, 2026

H.P. Cabinet Decisions

The State Cabinet, in its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, approved to grant Non-Practising Allowance (NPA) to super-specialist faculty members possessing recognised DM, M.Ch. and DrNB qualifications serving under the Department of Medical Education and Research.

The Cabinet further approved an increase in the stipend of Post Graduate students serving under the Department of Medical Education. Under the revised rates, first-year students will receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 50,000 instead of Rs. 40,000, second-year students will receive Rs. 60,000 instead of Rs. 45,000 and third-year students will receive Rs. 65,000 in place of Rs. 50,000.

It decided to enhance the cash prize of awardee teachers under Teacher Award Policy. Now, National Awardee teachers will get Rs. 1.5 lakh as cash prize in place of Rs. 60000 while State awardee will receive Rs. one lakh instead of Rs. 40000. It was also decided not to grant extension in service to awardee teachers.

It further decided to enhance the monthly honorarium of Nambardars by Rs. 500 from Rs 4,500 to Rs 5,000.

It decided to enhance the monthly honorarium of ASHA workers by Rs. 1000 under the Health Department from Rs 5,800 to Rs. 6,800 with effect from 1st April, 2026.

It also approved the introduction of B.Sc. Medical Technology (Radiotherapy Technologist) and Bachelor of Radiation Therapy Technology courses with an annual intake of 30 seats each at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda.

The Cabinet approved amendments to the Post Graduate/Super-Speciality (PG/SS) Policy of the Department of Medical Education. Under the revised policy, General Duty Officers (GDOs) and direct candidates who, after obtaining their postgraduate degree, opt to serve as Senior Residents at Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialities (AIMSS), Chamiyana, or in the speciality of Radio diagnosis at State medical colleges Tanda, Hamirpur, Mandi, Chamba, Nahan other than IGMC, Shimla, will be exempted from the mandatory field posting requirement. The period of service rendered at AIMSS, Chamiyana, and in the Radiodiagnosis speciality at other State medical colleges, excluding IGMC, Shimla, will be treated as field posting for the purposes of the policy. This provision will remain in force for six years.

It was also decided to establish an All India Institute of Ayurveda at Dhaneta in Nadaun area of Hamirpur district and 75 acres of land has been identified for this purpose.

The Cabinet also approved placing part-time Panchayat Chowkidars, who have completed 12 years or more of continuous service between 31st August, 2022 and 31st March, 2026, on daily-wage remuneration in place of the existing fixed monthly honorarium.

The Cabinet approved a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 for Field Junior Engineers of the Public Works Department to facilitate the effective implementation of the Works and Accounts Management Information System (WAMIS). Around 900 Field Junior Engineers are expected to benefit from this decision.

The Cabinet also approved the shifting of Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department Division No. 2 from Bilaspur to Jagatkhana in Bilaspur district to improve public service delivery.

It further approved the Road Safety Audit Policy aimed at minimizing the risk of crashes on new road projects as well as existing roads and reducing the severity of accidents where they occur or are likely to occur.

The Cabinet also approved the procurement and distribution of fishing boats for fishermen with a 70 percent subsidy through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism during the financial year 2026-27.

It further approved a subsidy scheme for the distribution of subsidized fishing gear, including cast nets and gill nets, with a 90 percent subsidy through DBT for the financial year 2026-27.

The Cabinet also decided to establish post-harvest infrastructure and cold chain facilities by providing a 70 percent subsidy through DBT for the setting up of 20 cold storage units (5 MT capacity), 10 freeze-dry units and 20 refrigerated vans for eligible beneficiaries.

The Cabinet decided to launch the Mukhya Mantri Machhuara Samman Nidhi Scheme, under which eligible reservoir fishermen families will be provided financial assistance of Rs. 3,500 during the annual closed fishing season.

It also approved the development of a Multipurpose Commercial Complex at Vikasnagar, Shimla, by the Himachal Pradesh Housing and Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) in collaboration with a private developer under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode.

It further approved the procurement and supply of equipment for five Critical Care Blocks at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Mandi, Regional Hospital, Una, Civil Hospital, Ghawandal, and Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialities (AIMSS), Chamiyana, district Shimla.

The Cabinet also decided to fill up 400 posts of Multi-Task Workers in Gram Panchayats across the State.

The Cabinet also approved the establishment of an Integrated Aqua Park at Nadaun in Hamirpur district, along with the creation and filling up of 15 posts in various categories.

It approved the procurement of equipment and other essential items worth Rs 12.89 crore for the State-level Sports Centre of Excellence at Kharidi (Nadaun) in Hamirpur district.

It also decided to engage 3,950 personnel, comprising one Chowkidar and one Multi-Task Worker each, in 1,975 Government Senior Secondary Schools across the State.

The Cabinet further approved the filling up of 200 posts of Junior Office Assistant (Library) in the Education Department.

It also decided to engage 280 Job Trainee Technical Assistants for Gram Panchayats under the respective Zila Parishads.

The Cabinet approved the creation of 102 posts in various categories for police lines under newly constituted Police District Nurpur.

It further decided to create 48 posts in various categories to ensure the smooth functioning of the State-level Sports Centre of Excellence at Kharidi (Nadaun) in Hamirpur district.

It decided to fill up 10 posts in various categories in the Small Savings Department.

The Cabinet also approved the filling up of six posts of Auditor (Panchayat), nine posts of Junior Office Assistant (IT) and 20 posts of Multi-Task Workers in the Panchayati Raj Department.

It further decided to create and fill up ten posts each of Dialysis Technicians in the Department of Nephrology at Medical Colleges IGMC, Shimla, Tanda and Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialities (AIMSS), Chamiyana, district Shimla whereas Hamirpur, Mandi Chamba and Nahan medical colleges, five posts each would be created.

It approved the establishment of a Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, along with the creation and filling up of two posts of Assistant Professor.

It also decided to fill up six posts of Fisheries Officer and four posts of Sub-Inspector of Fisheries in the Department of Fisheries.

The Cabinet further approved the filling up of four posts of Coaches and one post of Warden at Thakur Ram Lal Government Girls Sports School, Jubbal, district Shimla.

It also approved the filling up of four posts in various categories in the Tribal Development Department.

It also decided to create four posts of Driver-cum- Pump Operator in Sub Fire Station Nadaun in district Hamirpur.

The Cabinet decided to fill up three posts of Planning Officer and three posts of Assistant Research Officer in the Planning Department.

It further approved the filling up of five posts of Junior Office Assistant (IT) in the Department of Economics and Statistics.

The Cabinet also approved the creation of four posts of Chairman for the establishment of Permanent Lok Adalats at Shimla, Mandi, Dharamshala and Una, along with two Member posts for each Permanent Lok Adalat. In addition, 16 posts in various categories will be created and filled up to ensure the smooth functioning of these Permanent Lok Adalats.

The Cabinet also decided to create one additional post of Head Constable and four posts of Constable for Police Post Galore under Police Station Barwar in Hamirpur district, thereby increasing its sanctioned strength from six to eleven posts.

The Cabinet approved the filling up of two posts of Ski Instructor and two posts of Mountaineering Instructor at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali, district Kullu.

The Cabinet approved the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted to address various issues related to CBSE schools with some amendments.

It also decided to fill up four posts in various categories for the Sports Hostel (Volleyball) at Bhareri in Hamirpur district.

The Cabinet approved the upgradation of the Community Health Centre at Koti in Shimla district into a 10-bedded health institution.

It also decided to upgrade the Ayurvedic Health Centre at Rait in Kangra district to an Ayush Medical Office at the Sub-Divisional level, along with the creation and filling up of the requisite posts.

The Cabinet further approved the amendment of the age eligibility criteria under the E-Taxi Component of the Rajiv Gandhi Swarozgar Start-up Yojana, enhancing the upper age limit from 45 years to 50 years while retaining the lower age limit of 23 years.

The Cabinet also empowered the Rogi Kalyan Samitis of the concerned health institutions to utilise 70 percent of the income generated through diagnostic tests and procedure fees for sanitation and procurement of reagents whereas health institutions below district hospitals, it will be 100 percent.

It further approved the fee structure and other conditions for the Multi-Purpose Health Worker Course.

The Cabinet also decided to establish a Fire Post at Badoh in Kangra district, along with the creation and filling up of the requisite posts.

The Cabinet approved amendments to the Mukhya Mantri Bal Paushtik Aahar Yojana, under which students from Nursery to Class VIII in all Government schools will be provided either a boiled egg or a seasonal fruit twice a week under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme.

It also decided to enhance the War Jagir Grant from Rs 7,000 to Rs 10,000.

The Cabinet approved the empanelment of Legal Volunteers at police stations to monitor cases relating to missing children.

The Cabinet also approved the enhancement of the installed capacity of the Fozal Hydroelectric Project from 9 MW to 16 MW.

It further decided to grant a one-time relaxation of one year in the upper age limit for candidates applying for the recruitment of 800 posts of Constable in the Police Department.

The Cabinet approved the adoption of the Energy Service Company (ESCO) model for implementing energy-efficiency measures in the water supply, irrigation and sewerage pumping schemes of the Jal Shakti Vibhag.

The Cabinet further granted permission for the development of Jathia Devi Mountain City, Shimla Hills.

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