Himachal Cabinet today decided to frame policy for conferment of Proprietary Rights (in certain cases, for small and marginal farmers) on government land to give reprieve to farmers facing eviction from encroached forest and government land under the directions of High Court.
The regularisation of encroachments by farmers on forest and government lands had emerged as a major issue ahead of assembly elections due later this year and the government is trying to find a way out to give relief to small encroachers in the light of directions of High Court.
The Cabinet deferred decision of restoration of land to Patanjali Yogpeeth near Sadhupul, putting a rider that the case should be withdrawn against the government pending in the High Court.
The previous BJP government had given 28 acres of land to Patanjali Yogpeeth of Baba Ramdev at Sadhupul near Kandaghat in Solan district for establishing a Branch of Yog and Ayurved related Medical Science Research and Health, Tourism and production of Herbal Medicinal plants at Mauza Kalhog on 99 years lease in 2010 and the Congress government had on return to power, cancelled the lease on February 19, 2013 and took possession of land on February 22.
The Patanjali Yogpeeth challenged the decision of the government in High Court which ordered status quo till the case is decided and the matter is still pending in High Court.
The Cabinet accorded approval to regularisation of services of about 3,000 Part Time Water Carriers and Water Carriers-cum Peon working on daily wages in Higher/Elementary Education department, continuously for 14 years.
The regularisation of these part-time water carriers, appointed under 1996 and 2001 policy would put financial burden of Rs 60 crore on the government.
The eligible Part Time employees completing 14 years of service till March 31, 2016 and September 30, 2016 would be regularised as peons against vacancies available across the state.
In a major decision, the government decided to give “Bonafide Himachali” certificate to the women of the state, who are married to persons having their permanent home outside Himachal.
This has been done with a view to giving them security for rest of their lives.
Accepting the demand of doctors to make attacks on doctors by relatives of patients while on duty as cognizable and non-bailable offence, the Cabinet gave its approved the Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property Act, 2009 draft Bill and decided to introduce it in the budget session of Vidhan Sabha.
The Cabinet gave its approval for disbursement of Social Security Pension Payments from Money Orders to Aadhaar linked Post Office Saving Bank Account and seeding all Social Security Pension Account by March 2017.
In order to maintain high female sex ratio and discourage any such activities which are against the laws framed for girls/females or becomes a hindrance to achieve/maintain the male female ratio, the Cabinet gave its approval for ‘Himachal Pradesh Panchayat Balika Guarav Puruskar Yojna’ providing for prize of Rs 10-lakh for maintaining best female ratio.
The cabinet decided in principle to set up a medical University in the state and said that a detailed draft proposal would be brought in the cabinet for establishment of the University.
The Cabinet gave its nod for implementation of Himachal Pradesh Universal Health Protection Scheme (HPUHPS).
News Source dnaindia.com
