Himachal Cabinet brings 102 more Panchayats under Himalayan Watershed Project

By: Ravinder Makhaik

Shimla: The Himachal cabinet today decided to extend the externally funded Mid Himalayan Watershed Development Project to additional 102 panchayats spread over Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Una, Kullu, Chamba, Solan and Sirmour districts.

Presided over by chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal the cabinet increased the coverage and now there would be a total of 704 panchayats under the ongoing project, with a revised cost of Rs 510 crore and an extended period of three years, said the cabinet spokesman.

To enhance employability the Himachal cabinet today approved a private public partnership skill up-gradation program with Indian Institute of Skill Upgradation (IISD) in conjunction with Confederation of India Industry (CII) so as to bridge technical skill gaps.

A cabinet spokesman stated the program initially targeted to train skilled and unskilled manpower in specialized fields of agro based industries, light engineering, hydro-electric trades, hospitality, construction, pharma sectors and other need based sectors.

For a start, the training program would be carried out in 17 Industrial Training Institutes (ITI’s). Certification of the courses would be done jointly by Board of Technical Education, Himachal Pradesh, CII and IISD to ensure recognition and employment in related industries.

To meet shortages of doctors, the cabinet sanctioned 155 posts of Ayurvedic Medical Officers on contract basis and also decided to increase upper limit recruitment age from 45 to 52 years.

Approval was also granted for adopting the Sister Nivedita Government Nursing College, Shimla for the Nursing College being run in Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla.

To give an impetus for the National Health Insurance Scheme the cabinet decided to reward 137 Gram Panchayats that had achieved the target of cent percent issuance of Health Smart Cards in their respective areas.