The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today decided to set up a Special task Force (STF) to curb drug menace in the hill-state, an official said.
Besides, necessary amendments will be made in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to make it more stringent, added the official.
As a large quantity of drugs enter Himachal from neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana, the Cabinet directed the Home Department to holdregular coordination meetings with the states and conduct joint police operations to check inter-state drug flow, the official said.
To spread awareness about the ill-effects of drug abuse, the Cabinet approved a campaign, which will involve education, health, police, social justice and empowerment departments besides ensuring active participation of panchayats, mahila mandals, parents, school children and teachers etc.
The Cabinet was apprised that during the last six months poppy was destroyed from 1366 bighas as compared to only six bighas in 2017.
Apart from this, 831 drug offenders were arrested and cases were registered against them during the period.
The Cabinet also decided to allot Dugar hydro electric project with capacity of 449 MW in favour of NPHC limited for a period of 70 years after completion of which the project will revert to the state government with specified generation capacity, free of cost and free from all encumbrances.
In order to provide assistance to the farming community, the Cabinet approved the implementation of Mukhya Mantri Khet Sarankshan Yojna and Mukhya Mantri Green House Renovation Scheme.
Under the first scheme, 85 percent grant will be provided to a group of three or more farmers and 80 percent grant to an individual farmer for erecting solar fencing in their fields to protect their crops from wild animals.
As part of the Mukhya Mantri Green House Renovation Scheme, 70 percent grant would be given to farmers for replacing damaged poly sheets of their poly-houses, instead of the current 50 percent.
The Cabinet also decided to implement Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Swasthya Suraksha Mission under which nearly five lakh families would get a health insurance cover of rupees five lakh per annum.
The Cabinet also approved to enhance the financial aid to the state's accredited journalists in case of a medical emergency from the existing Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 2.50 lakh.
It was also decided by the Cabinet to provide adequate manpower for the JICA assisted Himachal Pradesh Forest Ecosystems Management and Livelihoods Improvement Project to be implemented in six districts-- Bilaspur, Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, Kinnaur and Lahaul -Spiti.
A new policy for the collection and removal of pine needles from forest land so that they could be used for setting up of small scale industries was also cleared.
The government will provide investment subsidy of 50 percent of the capital cost for establishing such industries.
To address the long pending demand of Bhakra Dam oustees, the cabinet decided to give maximum relief to them and approved necessary amendments in the policy.
The Cabinet decided to fill up 45 posts of Class-IV employees and three posts of drivers on daily wage basis in the Cooperation department.
It also gave approval to fill up 18 posts of lab attendants in Chaudhary Sarvan Kumar Agriculture University Palampur on contract basis.
Approval was accorded to fill up 12 vacant posts of computer operators and one post of IT Programmer on contract basis in Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, minorities and empowerment of Specially Abled Department through HP Staff Selection Commission, Hamirpur.
The Cabinet gave its consent to fill up 10 vacant posts of drivers in Agriculture department on daily wage basis. It also decided to fill up six posts of different categories in Planning department.
The proposal to upgrade Veterinary dispensary Ghuwandal in Bilaspur district to Veterinary hospital along with requisite staff was also cleared.
The Cabinet approved the procedure for implementation of GST for the running work contracts prior to July 1, 2017.
It also decided to introduce incentive clause in standard bidding document for the works having value of more than Rs 50 lakh for their early completion and to boost the morale of contractors.
The Cabinet decide to increase the honorarium of cook-cum-helpers engaged under mid-day meal scheme in education department from the existing Rs 1500 to Rs 1800 per month with effect from August 1, 2018.
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