Ordinance to regulate fee in pvt medical colleges approved

Shimla, Jun 24: The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet today approved an Ordinance that will regulate admission fee and provide reservations to OBCs in private medical colleges of the state, an official spokesman said.

The Cabinet meeting, which was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, approved the Ordinance that would regulate admission fee and reservation for OBCs in private medical colleges besides approving a policy for the registration of private health institutions for treatment and reimbursement outside the state.

The meeting allowed the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) to raise a loan of Rs 60 crore for meeting its liabilities, the spokesman said, adding that the staye government Would repay the principal and interest amount on the loan.

The Cabinet approved a subsidy of Rs four per carton to the small growers having orchards up to 10 bighas or less. The subsidy was on cartons manufactured by the Agro Industries Packaging India Limited (AIPIL) and sold through HPMC, HIMFED, and H.P.Agro Industries Corporation.

The spokesman said the subsidy on the cartons would not be more than Rs 4,800 per orchard and would be provided from April one to December 15 this year.

The step would help in protecting the valuable forest wealth besides providing growers alternate packaging material to the fruit growers of the state, he said, adding that the cost of one carton would be Rs. 30.50.

The Cabinet also decided to continue with the procurement of mangoes under the marketing intervention scheme (MIS) from July one to August 15 this year, he said. The spokesman said while the seedling mango shall be procured at the rate of Rs. 3.58 per kg, grafted mango would fetch a rate of Rs. 4.25 per kg and would be procured by the HPMC, HIMFED and H.P.Agro Industries Corporation.

The government has decided to open 26 collection centres in the state where mangoes would be procured from the farmers, possessing horticulture cards. He said mangoes would not be procured from contractors and others involved in the trade.

The meeting also decided to constitute Special Area Development Authority for Nalagarh and Baddi Barotiwala Area (NABBDA) and approved amendment in Rule 67 and 68 of the Himachal Pradesh Town and Country Planning Act, permitting government to appoint Chairman, Vice Chairman or Chief Executive Officer, or both, and members for its effective functioning.

It also increased the compensation to Rs 5,000 from Rs 1,875 in case of simple injuries to human beings casued by the wild animals, he said.

The spokesman said the meeting also approved the grant-in-aid Rules to Parents and Teachers Association Rules for determining and regulating the reimbursement of expenditure incurred by it on providing teachers to schools and colleges for improving education in the schools and colleges.

The Cabinet also approved Recruitment and Promotion Rules for Block Medical Officers (Class-I Gazetted) while granting permission for the fill up the 75 posts of Medical Officers to the level of Block Medical Officers. The Cabinet also decided to fill 548 posts of peon and sweepers on part time basis on a fixed remuneration of Rs. 1,100 per month for manning the primary health centres and civil dispensaries in the state, he said.

Five posts of deputy district attorneys (Class-I-Gazetted) at Shimla, Mandi, Kangra at Dharamshala, Solan and Bilaspur; nine direct posts of Inspectors (Grade-I) in Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department; 16 posts of constables in H.P.Police Band were also approved by the Cabinet.

It also sanctioned purchase of 15 vehicles by different departments for their smooth and effective functioning, the spokesman added.

UNI