The meeting of State Cabinet held on Friday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur reviewed the Covid-19 situation in the State. The Cabinet decided to increase the timing of opening of shops from 9 am to 5 pm from June 14 with Saturday and Sunday to remain closed.
It was decided that offices would function with 50 percent of staff, with staff strength of 75 and above from June 14. All the medical colleges, ayurvedic colleges and dental colleges would remain open from 23rd June. Pharmacy and nursing schools to open from 28th June. Intrastate public transport would be allowed with 50 percent occupancy. Section 144 lifted and no requirement of RTPCR tests for entering in the State. Corona curfew to continue from 5pm to 5am
The Cabinet provided a relief of about Rs 40 crore to the transport sector one of the worst hit sector by the pandemic which include an Interest Subvention Scheme on working capital for stage carriage operators, under which a loan amount of Rs 2 lakh per bus and maximum amount up to Rs 20 lakh would be provided to the bus operators as working capital. The duration of the loan would be 5 years, in which one year would be of moratorium period, there would be 75 percent interest subvention, which would be paid by the state government. In the second year, there would be an interest subvention of 50 percent on interest which would be borne by the state government. About Rs. 11 crore relief has been provided by the government on this scheme.
The Cabinet also provided much needed relief to Stage Carriage, Taxi, Maxi, Autorickshaw and Institution Buses by giving the relief of 50 percent on payment of Special Road Tax and Token from 1st August, 2020 to 31st March, 2021. The Transport sector would get relief of about Rs. 20 crore due to this decision.
It also decided to provide 50 percent relief on Special Road Tax and Token Tax during the period of three months from 1st April, 2021 to 30th June, 2021. This decision would provide relief of Rs. 8 crore to stage carriages, taxis, maxi, autorickshaws, contract carriage buses and institution buses. This relief provided by the government to the transport sector during the critical period of Corona would benefit all the people of the State and would also prove to be a big help for the transport sector.
The Cabinet directed the Jal Shakti Department to go ahead for filling up 2322 posts of different categories under Departmental Para Workers Policy to effectively manage 486 drinking water and 31 irrigation schemes in the State.
The Cabinet also decided to create and fill up 401 posts of different categories in Trauma/Tertiary Care Centre in IGMC and Super Specialty Block Chamiana of IGMC Shimla for its smooth functioning and to provide specialized health care facilities to the people of the State besides 328 posts of different categories on outsource basis.
