SHIMLA / 23rd November / Rajan Chabba
The State Cabinet in its meeting held here today under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur decided that all government educational institutions such as schools, colleges etc. would remain closed till 31st December, 2020 for students. However, online studies would commence from 26th November, 2020. Teachers would continue to work from home till further orders. Offices of High Schools, Senior Secondary Schools and Colleges would function with effect from 26th November, 2020. Principals would be at liberty to call faculty members as per local requirement.It also decided that winter closing Institutions would remain closed from 1st January to 12th February, 2021. However, online studies would continue even during the winter time. Session would be extended in case of winter closing schools and students of classes 1st to 4th and classes 6th and 7th would be promoted as per the provision of RTE, 2009. As the students of the winter closing schools/ colleges would not be attending the classes, therefore winter vacation 2021-22 would be allowed to the teachers posted in winter closing institutions.
It was also decided that final examination for class 5th and 8th, 9th &11th would be conducted simultaneously for winter and summer closing schools in March 2021. Board Exams for 10th and 12th classes would be conducted in March 2021 together for winter and summer closing schools with 30 percent relaxation in syllabus already carried out by HP Board of School Education.
In the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, the Cabinet decided to restrict attendance of Class-III and IV government employees to 50 percent. 50 percent employees would attend office for three days and remaining 50 percent for next three days till 31st December, 2020. Night curfew would be imposed from 8 PM to 6 AM in Shimla, Mandi, Kangra and Kullu districts from 24th November to 15th December, 2020.
The Cabinet also decided that all the social/ political/cultural / sports etc. gatherings in open areas would be restricted to 200 persons with social distancing. It also decided that fine of Rs. 1000 be imposed for not wearing face mask in public places. All the buses in the State would ply with 50 percent of occupancy till 15th December.
It decided to hold the elections to the newly constituted Municipal Corporations of Mandi, Solan and Palampur with the elections of Dharamshala Municipal Corporation in the month of March/ April next year.
The Cabinet decided to locate headquarter of one Platoon of Home Guards Volunteers at Kaza in Lahaul- Spiti district, so that Home Guard volunteers were readily available to the local authorities to meet the any eventuality.
It gave its nod to create Patwar circle Brikhmani under Balh tehsil of Mandi district to facilitate the people of the area.
The Cabinet gave its consent to open new Jal Shakti Division at Amb by transferring Swan River Flood Management Project Division Haroli to Amb in Chintpurni Vidhan Sabha area of Una district.
It decided to allow contract farming by interested registered farmers on private land with Himachal Pradesh Nurseries Management Society under World Bank funded Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Development Project for cultivation of fruit plants/tree nurseries/orchards/ post entry quarantine sites/poly houses/ green houses/ net houses/water storage/harvesting tanks/farm sheds/grading/pack houses etc.
It gave its consent to create and fill up four posts of Associate Professor and Assistant Professor in Pathology General Medicine and General Surgery Departments of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College Tanda.
The Cabinet gave its approval to fill up eight posts of different categories in Dr. Y.S. Parmar Horticulture and Forestry University Nauni, district Solan.
The Cabinet gave its nod to provide reservation to eligible widows less than 45 years of age for getting skill development allowance for their skill upgradation training subject to maximum period of 24 months.
It allowed relaxation in setbacks height of floors and buildings etc. in government projects. In case of private construction/ projects relaxation in setbacks, height of floors and buildings etc. may be considered by the competent authority keeping in view the site conditions.
The Cabinet gave its consent to open new Elementary Education Block office at Khundiyan in Kangra district by carving it out from Elementary Education Blocks Dehra and Rakkar.
It gave its nod to bring Shri Neelkanth Mahadev Kandapatan temple, tehsil Dharampur, district Mandi under Sub Section 1 of Section 29 of Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public Religious Institution and Endowment Act, 1984.
Presentations were also made before the Cabinet regarding six months targets till March, 2021 and next one year’s target w.e.f April, 2021 to March, 2022 by Technical Education and Education Departments. Health Department also made presentations on ‘Him Surksha-IEC campaign being launched’ and on ‘Planning/Strategy for distribution of proposed COVID-19 Vaccine’.
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