Himachal Pradesh Cabinet condoles death of 32 people in rain fury

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, on Monday expressed grief over the death of 32 people, and voiced concern over the heavy loss to public and private property in the state in last's week heavy rain fury.

The Cabinet expressed condolences with the bereaved families. Six persons are missing and 12 injured in the calamity.

The Chief Minister, who earlier visited Kasan village in Gohar sub-division of Mandi district and condoled the death of the eight family members who were buried due collapse of their house in a massive landslide, said every possible assistance would be provided to the disaster affected victims.

He personally handed over a relief of Rs 32 lakh to the affected families.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet gave approval for revision of rates, entitlement and limit of the house building advance in respect of government employees.

The maximum limit would be 25 times of the basic pay subject to maximum of Rs 15 lakh or the cost of the house or repaying capacity whichever is the least for new construction or purchase of new house or flat, an official statement said.

The Cabinet also gave its consent to provide ex-gratia of minimum of Rs 55,000 and maximum Rs 1.50 lakh to family of the regular employees and minimum of Rs 35,000 and the maximum of Rs 1 lakh to the family of contract employees in the event of death of the employees.

It gave its nod to review the policy for felling programme of khair trees from private land to benefit farmers of the lower and mid areas.

The Cabinet gave consent to fill 10 posts of teaching and non-teaching staff in Government College in Thural in Kangra district.

The Cabinet decided to fill 60 posts of non-teaching employee in the Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Nauni on contract.

It gave consent to make two government colleges at Kaza in Lahaul-Spiti district and Jeori in Shimla district functional to facilitate local students.