In a pivotal decision, the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet announced on Saturday, October 25, 2025, that the terms for Mayors and Deputy Mayors of municipal corporations would be extended from the current two-and-a-half years to a full five-year tenure.
This significant change is set to directly benefit the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, whose existing two-and-a-half-year terms are scheduled to conclude in November 2025.
During a press briefing in Shimla, Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan clarified that the previous shorter term often led to concerns about political maneuvering and potential "horse-trading." He emphasized that a five-year term aligns with the existing tenure for panchayati raj institutions, promoting greater stability in local governance.
Chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Cabinet meeting also approved a monthly honorarium increase of ₹300 for 510 Special Police Officers (SPOs), covering 403 in tribal regions and 107 in non-tribal areas.
Furthermore, ex-post facto approval was granted for a ₹500 per month honorarium increase for School Management Committee (SMC) teachers, including Trained Graduate Teachers (TGT), classical and vernacular teachers, Junior Basic Training (JBT) teachers, lecturers, Diploma in Primary Education (DPEs), mid-day meal workers, and part-time water carriers.
Both of these financial decisions are slated for implementation from April 1, 2025, according to an official statement.
In an initiative to promote green transport, the Cabinet authorized the Transport Department to permit the conversion of 1,000 petrol and diesel taxis into electric vehicles, offering a 40% subsidy under the Rajiv Gandhi Swarojgar Yojana.
The government also greenlighted a proposal to enhance the implementation and oversight of the Prakritic Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojna and the Himachal Pradesh Crop Diversification Project (JICA-Phase-II). This move aims to improve coordination among relevant departments and ensure efficient execution of these vital agricultural programs.
Additionally, a Cabinet sub-committee, led by Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, will be formed to finalize guidelines for rural area development. These guidelines will serve as model by-laws for gram panchayats to regulate construction activities in rural regions.
The sub-committee will include Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh, Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh, and Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani.
Another key approval involved expanding the list of qualifying games for meritorious sportspersons seeking government appointments in State departments, boards, and corporations, by adding 19 new sports.
The newly included games are baseball, para sports, rugby triathlon, deaf sports, mallakhamb, kudo, motor sports, pencak silat, shooting ball, soft tennis, roll ball, tenpin bowling, tug-of-war, fencing, netball, sepak takraw, wushu, and kickboxing.
The Cabinet also sanctioned the creation of a distinct State cadre for junior office assistants (IT) under the Directorate of Recruitment, establishing 300 "Job Trainee" positions in the initial phase.
Approval was also given for the construction of Nahan Medical College at its new site, facilitating college expansion. Furthermore, the Cabinet retroactively approved new post-graduation and super specialty courses to streamline admissions in the Department of Medical Education and Research.
The new Resident Doctors Policy-2025 was also approved, and in principle, the Health Department’s proposal for a policy to regulate the appointment of assistant staff nurses received the Cabinet’s assent.
Amendments were approved for the scheme promoting ground-mounted solar power projects, offering interest subsidies of five percent in tribal areas and four percent in non-tribal areas for Himachal residents, for projects ranging from 100-KW to 2-MW.
To boost tourism, the Cabinet approved the establishment of a Tourism Investment Promotion Council (TIPC), designed to attract, evaluate, and streamline tourism investments with efficiency and transparency.
Finally, contractual employees in the State will now be eligible for 15 days of paternity leave following Cabinet approval.