The Himachal Pradesh cabinet, led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has decided to extend the special relief package to all disaster-affected areas across the state. Earlier, this package was applicable only to Mandi district, which was badly hit by heavy rains during the monsoon. Industries, Labour and Employment Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said that the decision was taken during a cabinet meeting held on Saturday after reviewing the widespread damage caused by recent disasters. The extension of this relief package aims to help families whose homes and livelihoods were destroyed by excessive rains, flash floods, and landslides.
Under this relief package, the government provides ₹7 lakh compensation for fully damaged houses. The cabinet has now increased the first instalment of the payment from ₹1.5 lakh to ₹4 lakh. This move, officials said, will make it easier for families to rebuild their homes without delay. Himachal Pradesh has faced repeated natural calamities during the monsoon season in recent years, resulting in huge losses to life and property. In 2025 alone, heavy rains led to damages estimated at nearly ₹5,000 crore and caused the deaths of hundreds of people. Thousands of houses were either partially or completely destroyed, leaving many residents homeless.
The cabinet meeting also addressed several other administrative and developmental issues. It was decided that the process of reorganising panchayats in the state will begin soon. In another major decision, the tenure of mayors and deputy mayors of municipal corporations will now be extended from the existing two-and-a-half years to five years. Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan explained that the shorter term had been creating instability and concerns over horse-trading, while panchayati raj institutions already have a five-year tenure. This extension will immediately benefit the mayor and deputy mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation, whose current term is set to end in November 2025.
Apart from the relief package, the cabinet also approved several welfare measures for employees and other sections. The honorarium of 510 Special Police Officers (SPOs) — including 403 serving in tribal areas and 107 in non-tribal regions — has been increased by ₹300 per month. Similarly, the cabinet gave post-approval to raise the monthly honorarium of School Management Committee (SMC) teachers, including Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs), classical and vernacular teachers, Junior Basic Training (JBT) teachers, lecturers, Diploma in Physical Education (DPE) teachers, mid-day meal workers, and part-time water carriers by ₹500 per month. Both these revised honorariums will take effect from April 1, 2025.
In another significant decision, the cabinet approved amendments to the scheme promoting ground-mounted solar power projects. The programme, which was previously unnamed, will now be called the Rajiv Gandhi Swarojgar Saur Urja Yojna. It aims to support Himachali entrepreneurs in setting up solar power projects ranging from 100 KW to 2 MW in both tribal and non-tribal areas. The government will offer an interest subsidy of 5% in tribal areas and 4% in non-tribal areas to encourage green energy initiatives. The state government hopes this move will create local employment opportunities while promoting renewable energy use.
Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur, criticised the government’s decision to extend the tenure of mayors and deputy mayors, claiming that it was an attempt to avoid elections. He said the government was “running away” from facing the people and alleged that its performance had pushed the state back by 30 years in just three years.
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The Himachal cabinet also decided to form a sub-committee under Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi to prepare a draft of new rural area development guidelines. The committee will include Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh, Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh, and Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharamani. Their task is to frame model by-laws to regulate construction and development activities in rural areas to ensure safety and sustainability.
In another environment-friendly move, the cabinet allowed the transport department to convert 1,000 existing petrol and diesel taxis into electric vehicles. This initiative will be carried out under the Rajiv Gandhi Swarozgar Yojna, which provides a 40% subsidy to promote the adoption of electric taxis. The measure is expected to reduce pollution and operational costs for taxi operators while supporting the state’s green transport goals.
The government also approved the construction of a new building for Nahan Medical College at a newly selected site, which will help expand medical education and improve healthcare infrastructure. Alongside, the cabinet approved the Resident Doctors Policy 2025 to provide better service conditions and career opportunities for medical professionals in government hospitals.
To strengthen the state administration, the cabinet also approved the creation of a new, separate state cadre for Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts. Initially, 300 job trainee positions will be created under the Directorate of Recruitment. This decision aims to improve efficiency and streamline recruitment in the IT sector of state departments.
In a step towards ensuring work-life balance, the cabinet decided to grant 15 days of paternity leave to contractual employees. Until now, such employees were not eligible for this benefit. This move reflects the government’s commitment to promoting family welfare and employee-friendly policies.
Overall, the Himachal Pradesh cabinet’s decisions reflect a broad focus on relief, rehabilitation, rural development, and welfare reforms. By expanding the disaster relief package statewide, raising financial aid for rebuilding homes, and increasing benefits for employees and teachers, the government aims to provide much-needed support to citizens recovering from the recent monsoon calamities. The inclusion of initiatives promoting renewable energy and electric vehicles also shows the state’s intent to combine disaster resilience with sustainable growth. These decisions, taken together, represent a mix of immediate relief and long-term development planning for Himachal Pradesh.
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