The Himachal Pradesh government will recruit 2,061 Van Mitras for the Forest department, following a directive from the High Court that abolishes the previous 10-mark personal interview criterion. This decision was made during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mr. Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
In light of the court’s challenge, a new policy for appointing Van Mitras has been established. Appointments will now be based on merit from Class XII (12) scores and other relevant marks, along with considerations for various categories such as SC, ST, OBC, IRDP, and sports quotas. Additionally, the Cabinet approved the creation of 964 posts for Veterinary Pharmacists who have been working in the Animal Husbandry Department and are awaiting regularization.
The Cabinet also moved to amend the Eco-tourism Policy of 2017 to align with recent changes to the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) of 2023, which aims to promote and develop eco-tourism activities in the state. Furthermore, it transferred the administrative control of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to the Additional Director General of Home Guards and Civil Defence to improve its operational effectiveness during emergencies. Home Guard personnel will also be deputed to the SDRF for up to two years to facilitate smooth functioning.
To encourage the use of electric vehicles (EVs) and decrease dependence on fossil fuels, the Cabinet decided to partner with private entities to expand the network of EV charging stations along six designated green corridors in the state, where 77 charging stations are currently in operation.
