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HP Cabinet Decisions: Cut in Sewerage Charges, Amendment in HP GST Act 2017 Approved
Shimla-In a meeting of Himachal Pradesh Cabinet held on July 30, 2020, the state government decided to reduce sewerage charges from 50 percent to 30 percent of the water bills being charged by the Jal Shakti Vibhag.
Approval was given to enhance the financial assistance for education upto two children of the registered beneficiaries of Himachal Pradesh Buildings and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board. Now, as per the government, the girl child and boy would get annual financial assistance of Rs. 8,000 and 5,000 respectively instead of Rs. 7,000 and Rs. 3,000 respectively from Class 1 to 8. Similarly, girl student from class 9 to 12 would get Rs. 11,000 instead of Rs. 10,000 and boys would receive financial assistance of Rs. 8,000 instead of Rs. 6,000.
For graduation, the girls would get Rs. 16,000 instead of Rs. 15,000 and boys would receive Rs. 12,000 instead of Rs. 10,000. Similarly, for post-graduation and diploma courses of one year to three years duration, the girls would get Rs. 21,000 instead of Rs. 20,000 and boys would receive Rs.17,000 instead of Rs. 15,000.
For professional courses/ degrees and Ph. D, Research Courses, the girls would get Rs. 36,000 in place of Rs. 35,000 and boys would get financial assistance of Rs. 27,000 per annum in place of Rs. 25,000. The Cabinet also decided to enhance the financial assistance from Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 51,000 for the marriage of workers and upto Rs. 51,000 each for the marriage of two children only. It also decided to disburse the third instalment of financial assistance of Rs. 2,000 to the registered beneficiaries of Himachal Pradesh Buildings and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board.
The Cabinet gave its approval to implement Mahila Shakti Kendra Scheme in Kullu, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts and to create and fill up one post each of Women Welfare Officer and two posts each of District Coordinator in each district on outsource basis.
The Cabinet gave its approval for the constitution of State Food Commission with a purpose to monitor and review of implementation of National Food Security Act, 2013 in the state.
The Cabinet decided to simplify policy for providing ‘Compassionate Employment’ and delegation of powers to departments for disposal of cases of compassionate employment. Now, instead of Clerks, the cases will be considered to the post of Junior Office Assistant (IT).
The Cabinet gave its nod to:
- Fill up 30 posts of Junior Engineer (Civil), 20 posts of Junior Engineer (Mechanical) and six posts of Junior Engineer (Electrical) in Jal Shakti Vibhag on contract basis
- Fill up two posts of Steno-Typist on contract basis and one post of driver on daily wage basis in the office of Deputy Commissioner Kullu, besides one post of driver on daily wage basis in the office of Deputy Commissioner Chamba.
- To fill up two posts of Junior Office Assistant (IT) on contract basis as backlog under the quota meant for dependents of freedom fighters in Co-operation Department.
It also gave its consent to name the Horticulture and Forestry Development and Extension Institute, Thunag as College of Forestry and Horticulture Thunag alongwith creation of requisite posts to manage this college.
The Cabinet gave its consent for appointment of 18 left out staff nurses working under the National Health Mission in Rogi Kalyan Samiti on contract from the roster points in respect of which requisition of recruitment of staff nurses has already been placed by Director Health Services with Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission, Hamirpur by considering these appointments from a prospective date.
On the recommendation of the GST Council of India, the Union Government has carried out amendments in certain sections of Central GST Act 2017, but due to COVID-19 pandemic, the corresponding amendments under the HP GST Act could not be issued. Now, the State Cabinet gave its approval for corresponding amendments required to be made under the HP GST Act, 2017 by way of Ordinance.
The Cabinet decided that Clause 7 of the Ordinance will substitute the Provision to sub-section (2) of Section 31 of H.P. Goods and Services Tax Act. The purpose, the government said, would be to empower the government to notify the categories of services of supplies in respect of which tax invoice would be issued and to make rules regarding the time and manner of its issuance.
Nod was given to Clause 8 of the Ordinance to amend Section 51 of H.P. Goods and Services Tax Act to empower the government to make rules to provide for the form and manner in which a certificate of tax deduction at source would be issued. It also approved Clause 9 of the Ordinance to insert a new sub-section (1A) in Section 122 A of this Act to make the beneficiary of certain transactions at whose instance such transactions are conducted liable for a penalty.
It also gave its approval to Clause 10 of the Ordinance to amend Section 132 of this Act to make the offence of fraudulent availment of input tax credit without invoice a cognizable and non-bailable offence under Sub Section 1 of Section 69 and to make any person who retains the benefit of certain transactions and at whose instance such transactions are conducted liable for punishment.
The Cabinet also gave its approval to Clause 11 of the Ordinance to amend Section 140 of the Act relating to transitional arrangements for the input tax credit to prescribe the time limit and the manner for availing input tax credit against certain unavailed credit under the existing law. This amendment would take effect retrospectively from 1st July 2017.
It approved Clause 12 of the Ordinance to insert new Section 168 A to empower the government to issue such notifications retrospectively which could not be issued instantly in the public interest due to Covid-19 pandemic.
It also gave its approval to Clause 13 of the Ordinance to amend Section 172 of the Act to extend time limit provided for removal of difficulties there under from three years to five years with effect from the commencement of the said Act.
Shimla-Himachal Pradesh Government employees working in different departments before January 3, 2022, would be given a higher scale at par with other employees on completion of two years tenure of regular service. A higher pay scale was also announced for the Junior Office Assistants (IT) on completion of two years of regular service.
Chief Minister Jairam Thakur made these announcements during the Karamchari Maha Sammelan of the Himachal Pradesh Non-Gazetted Employees Federation at the hotel Peterhof on Sunday.
He appreciated the role played by the employee especially frontline workers in the battle against the pandemic.
He said most of the government employees in the state have been given revised pay scales and on average, every employee has got the benefit of a 12 to 15 percent salary hike. There has also been an increase in the pension of about 1.50 lakh pensioners of the state. The financial benefits of Rs. 7801 crore have been given to state government employees and pensioners from the year 2018 to 2022. The pensioners who retired before 2016 are getting the benefit of a 15 to 20 percent increase in the pension while around 40 thousand pensioners who retired after 2016 would be benefitted soon, he said.
He said the daily wages were Rs. 210 in the year 2017 which has been increased by the present state government to Rs. 350. Similarly, 12 per cent interim relief annually has been provided to government employees and pensioners during the present government’s tenure. He said the Himachal government has provided Dearness Allowance to its employees and pensioners on the lines of Punjab and Central governments from the due date. The Punjab government has given only 5 percent interim relief to the employees while the Himachal government has provided 21 percent interim relief to its employees.
“Out of the total interim relief amount given to the employees and pensioners amounting to about Rs. 6500 crore, Rs. 3500 crore has been paid during the tenure of our government” added the Chief Minister.
He said that the state government has increased the government contribution for NPS employees from 10 percent to 14 percent benefitting more than one lakh employees. The NPS employees are being given the benefits of retirement and death gratuity at par with employees falling under the old pension scheme. The government has also increased the upper limit of death gratuity from Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 20 lakh.
The Chief Minister said the state government has also increased the honorarium of para-workers working in various departments. The salary of outsource workers has been hiked by Rs 1,500 per month.
Non-Gazetted Employees Federation President Ashwani Thakur thanked the Chief Minister for providing various financial and other benefits to different categories of government employees.
New Delhi-The Centre has issued a notification to the States informing that the provisions of the Disaster Management (DM) Act, 2005 will not be invoked in the country after March 31. The Union Health Ministry said that the use of face masks and following hand hygiene will continue.
It implies that most of the Covid-related rules and restrictions would end.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla issued the notification which said that the decision was taken following the overall improvement in the situation and the preparedness of the government in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, local authorities and State police can still invoke fines and criminal cases against persons violating COVID-19 norms under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), a senior government official said.
The DM Act was invoked on March 24, 2020, due to the pandemic
“Over the last seven weeks or so there has been a steep decline in the number of cases. The total caseload in the country stands at 23,913 only and the daily positivity rate has declined to 0.28%. It is also worth mentioning that with the combined efforts, a total of 181.56 Cr vaccine doses have been administered,” the notification said.
“I would like to mention that in view of the nature of the disease, we still need to remain watchful of the situation. Wherever any surge in the number of cases is observed, the States/UTs may consider taking prompt and proactive action at a local level, as advised by MoHFW (Health Ministry) from time to time,” the notification said.
The Indian government had issued various guidelines and measures for the first time on March 24, 2020, under the Disaster Management Act to curb the COVID-19 situation in the country, which have been modified several times thereafter.
India currently has 23,087 active COVID-19 cases and recorded 1,778 new cases and 62 deaths in the last 24 hours. The daily positivity rate has also declined to 0.28%.
Shimla-A meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet was held on March 20, 2022, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.
The excise policy for the financial year 2022-23 was approved. Approval was also given for the renewal of retail excise vends in the state for the financial year 2022-23 at the renewal fees of 4% of the value of unit/vend.
The State Government said that wants to enhance the government revenue and curb the smuggling of country liquor from the neighbouring states by a reduction in its price.
The brands of Country Liquor will be cheaper as license fees have been reduced. This will help in providing good quality liquor at a cheaper rate to the consumers.
In the new excise policy, the 15% fixed quota of country liquor for manufacturers and bottlers to be supplied to the retail licensees has been abolished. According to the government, this step will give the retail licensees to lift their quota from the suppliers of their choice and further assure the supply of good quality country liquor at competitive prices. The MRP of country liquor will be cheaper by 16% of the existing price.
In this year’s policy, the Gaudhan Vikas Nidhi Fund has been enhanced by Re.1/- from the existing Rs.1.50 to Rs.2.50.
The fixed annual license fee of Bars has been rationalized by abolishing the area-specific slabs of license fee. Now throughout the State, there will be uniform license slabs based upon the room capacity in hotels.
Rates of the annual fixed license fee of Bars in the tribal areas has been reduced considerably.
Further, all the above stakeholders will have to install CCTV cameras at their establishments as it was made mandatory for them.
Wholesale vends and retail vends, the penalty provisions under the H.P. Excise Act, 2011 have been made more stringent.
An end to end online Excise Administration System would be established in Himachal Pradesh, the government said.
HP Government estimates a collection of Rs 2131 crore revenue during the year, which will be Rs. 264 crores higher than the financial year 2021-22 – growth of 14% in state excise revenues.
The Cabinet also gave its nod to amend Himachal Pradesh Disaster Relief Manual-2012 to include deaths due to biting of honey bees, hornet and wasps, accidental drowning and deaths due to accidents of vehicles (including land, water and air) under this Manual.
The Cabinet gave its approval for filling up 11 posts of ‘A’ Class Tehsildar in Revenue Department through direct recruitment on regular basis through Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission.
HP State Toll Policy 2022-23
The HP Cabinet also gave its nod to HP State Toll Policy for the year 2022-23 which envisages auction cum tender for all the toll barriers in the State. During the year 2021-22, toll revenue has registered a growth of 20 percent of the previous year’s revenue.
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