Himachal Cabinet approves EV taxi conversion, solar power subsidy plan

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Yog Raj Sharma

The North News

Shimla, October 25

The Himachal Pradesh cabinet has approved a series of major policy decisions, including the conversion of 1,000 diesel and petrol taxis to electric vehicles and interest subsidies to promote solar power generation.

The meeting, chaired by Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, decided to allow the Transport Department of Himachal Pradesh to issue permissions for the conversion under the Rajiv Gandhi Swarozgar Yojna, offering a 40% subsidy.

The Cabinet also approved amendments to the state’s solar energy scheme, renaming it the Rajiv Gandhi Swarojgar Saur Urja Yojna. Under the scheme, tribal areas will receive 5% interest subsidies for solar projects of 100 kW to 2 MW capacity, while non-tribal areas will get 4%.

In a significant welfare measure, the honorarium of Special Police Officers will be increased by ₹300 a month, benefiting over 500 officers. Teachers, mid-day meal workers and part-time water carriers will also receive higher monthly honorariums.

The cabinet also gave its nod to:

• Streamlining the Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojna and the H.P. Crop Diversification Project.
• Creating a cabinet sub-committee to draft rural construction by-laws.
• Adding 19 sports disciplines, including baseball, rugby and fencing, to the list qualifying sportspersons for government jobs.
• Creating 300 new junior office assistant trainee posts.
• Constructing a new medical college in Nahan.
• Introducing new postgraduate and super-speciality medical courses.
• Framing a Resident Doctors Policy 2025 and regulating assistant staff nurse appointments.

Other key approvals include setting up a Tourism Investment Promotion Council, granting paternity leave to male contract employees, opening new primary schools in Solan district, and expanding the state’s low-interest education loan scheme.