Taking into consideration the tough topographical conditions in the state, the Himachal Pradesh cabinet on Thursday decided to introduce free heli-ambulance services to be operated by Heli-mission Switzerland with the assistance of Lady Willingdon Hospital, Manali, in Kullu district.

The Council of Ministers, which was presided over by Chief Minister, Jai Ram Thakur, said this will go a long way in strengthening the health transport services and timely air lifting of the patients particularly of remote and tribal regions of the state.

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The Cabinet also gave the approval to purchase 26 new ambulances under National Ambulance Service-108 as a replacement to facilitate the patients.

An official spokesman said that the cabinet gave approval to set up health care transformation Project viz: TATA Digital Nerves Centre Platform (DiNC) in Kullu district. DiNC is a service led platform model and facilitates to and fro communication between patients, hospitals and doctors irrespective of their geographical locations.

“It helps screening basic symptoms, facilitates doctor consultations and to send alerts for follow-up and manages records of the patients,” he said.

The cabinet gave its nod to fill up 1235 posts of Transport Multi-Purpose Assistants (TMPA) in the Himachal Road Transport Corporation. It also accorded approval to fill up 200 posts of Clerk in HP Secretariat Administration Department (SAD) on contract basis through direct recruitment and 25 posts of Junior Scale Stenographer in HP Secretariat Administration Department (SAD) on contract basis. It decided to fill up 100 posts of Junior Engineer (Civil) and 20 posts of Junior Engineer (Mechanical) in the Public Works Department (PWD) on contract basis. The Cabinet decided to fill up 25 posts of Assistant Engineer (Civil) and two posts of Assistant Engineer (Electrical) in PWD on contract basis.

The cabinet gave nod to fill up two posts of consultant and two post of data entry operator under State Medicinal Plants Board in Ayurveda Department and decided to upgrade Civil Hospital Nurpur in Kangra district to 200 bedded hospital along-with creation of additional 42 posts of different categories.

The spokesman said the cabinet accorded its approval to open new State of Art Industrial Training Institute at Chhatari in Tehsil Thunag of Mandi district, besides creation of requisite posts of different categories to man the institute. It decided that the Gram Panchayat Veterinary Assistants (GPVA) who have completed as five years of service will be brought under contract.