In a bid to expand green cover in the state, the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to launch ‘Mukhya Mantri Van Vistaar Yojana.’

This was decided during the state Cabinet meeting held here on Tuesday under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

Besides expanding green cover, the scheme aims to include barren areas of hills or mountains across the state with the objective of, preventing soil erosion and excessive runoff on degraded and refractory hills slopes.

To ensure its effective implementation, a Task Force will be constituted under the Chairmanship of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, the Head of Forest Force (HoFF).

Further, it was decided that the maintenance of selected areas will be done for seven years and the work of plantation and maintenance will be outsourced, preferably involving local inhabitants.

The Cabinet also decided to set up a Project Management Unit in the Revenue Department to deal effectively with natural calamities along with the creation and filling up of 14 posts of different categories.

It also decided to implement HP Nautor Rules, 1968 for a period of two years subject to conditions. The designated area should not fall in a National Park/ Sanctuary/Conservation Reserve/Community Reserve/Reserve Forest/Demarcated Projected Forest.

Only the maximum of two trees standing over the land proposed to be allowed as Nautor and will be provided for domestic purposes only and also the person should not be involved in any kind of forest offences.

Reviewing the hydroelectric project leases, it was decided to examine the issue of granting leases to Hydro Electric Projects from a holistic perspective and submit recommendations on the lease amount to be charged.

The Cabinet also gave its nod to Himachal Pradesh Goods and Services Tax Bill, 2023 on the analogy of the CGST Act in order to implement recommendations made by the GST Council.

It also gave its approval to draft Himachal Pradesh Municipal Corporations, Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat maintenance of Parivar Register Rules, 2023, for maintaining proper records of families residing in urban areas.

The Cabinet decided to create and fill up additional 136 posts of nursing and para-medical staff in order to make Trauma Centre and Emergency Medicine Department, IGMC, Shimla functional to facilitate the patients.

It would ensure that all the related six departments, that is  Neurosurgery, Radiology, Plastic Surgery, Anaesthesia, Orthopaedics and General Surgery will function in three shifts round the clock.