Cabinet orders crackdown on HP nursing institutes

The Cabinet ordered a major administrative and punitive action against a Palampur-based nursing institute and decided to approach the Nursing Council of India to initiate action against the promoters for total malfunctioning of the institute. Rajya Sabha member and former BJP chief minister Shanta Kumar had also written to the government,alleging major shortcomings in the functioning of the institute,exploitation of students and lack of teaching faculty and academic infrastructure.

“The Cabinet ordered that all nursing colleges and institutes,which were opened recently,should be re-inspected to see if the promoters have been able to create mandatory infrastructure required under the norms laid down by the Nursing Council of India,” said an official release.

In all,20 nursing schools and colleges have been opened in the state till now and five more were recently granted approval.

Faced with shortage of doctors,with many not willing to serve the rural health institutions,the Cabinet also decided to launch a new scheme to recruit doctors on contract basis,with a guarantee to regularise them after a year’s service.

In another decision,the Cabinet decided to adopt a new policy to motivate young medical professionals to join state health services,assuring them job security. The medical professionals will be recruited through ‘rogi kalyan samitis’. They will be required to complete three years’ services in the first phase and another three years later to become eligible for regularisation. “After initial three years of service and another three years (completing six years) on contract,they will be inducted as regular medical officers of the state cadre,” said the release.

The Cabinet decided to implement the directions of Supreme Court with regard to recommendations of Justice Padamanabhan Committee to release revised pay scales for the judicial officers of subordinate courts from January 1,2006.

It also decided to regularise the services of 66 medical officers,who have successfully completed six years of contractual service in different health institutions.

The Cabinet approved the draft ‘memorandum of agreement’ to be signed with Ambuja Cements for providing Rs 4 crore for the construction of a stadium at Dharamsala and with ACC Cements for providing an equal amount for a stadium in Hamirpur.

The Cabinet cleared implementation of the Mukhya Mantri Arogya Pashudhan Yojana,aimed to expand the animal healthcare network and generate skilled manpower for 800 veterinary assistants. The decision will supplement the NABARD-funded Rs 300-crore Doodh Ganga project.

…to notify HPSEB unbundling on June 9

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet on Wednesday deferred its approval to the draft notification on the unbundling of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) till June 9,when it meets again.

“Principal Secretary (Power) Deepak Sanan could not return to Shimla from New Delhi where he had gone to attend an urgent meeting. The Cabinet,therefore,decided to put off the agenda for the next meeting slated for June 9,” said an official in the Cabinet Secretariat.

On May 24,the state government took a final decision on HPSEB unbundling after talks with the HPSEB Employees and Engineers’ Joint Front. With the chief minister already clearing the file,the Cabinet nod is now a mere formality.