Himachal Cabinet Decisions: In a major administrative push to upgrade public healthcare and boost rural employment, the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, cleared a series of key decisions on 20 July 2026. Chief among the announcements was the approval of the Non-Practising Allowance (NPA) for super-specialist doctors serving under the Department of Medical Education and Research. The move, aimed at retaining top-tier medical talent within the state’s public healthcare system, covers doctors holding DM, M.Ch., and DrNB post-doctoral qualifications.
Alongside the NPA restoration, the Himachal Cabinet Decisions approved a substantial hike in monthly stipends for Postgraduate (PG) medical students and rolled out major welfare, recruitment, and education policy updates across the state.
Major Healthcare Boost: NPA and Stipend Revision
To address the shortage of medical faculty and improve conditions for resident doctors, the cabinet announced a structured stipend increase for all three years of PG medical studies.
| Category / Qualification | Revised Monthly Stipend / Benefit | Previous Amount |
| Super-Specialist Faculty (DM/M.Ch/DrNB) | NPA Restored | Benefits reinstated |
| 1st Year PG Medical Students | ₹50,000 / month | ₹40,000 / month |
| 2nd Year PG Medical Students | ₹60,000 / month | ₹45,000 / month |
| 3rd Year PG Medical Students | ₹65,000 / month | ₹50,000 / month |
Additionally, the state cleared new paramedical degree courses—B.Sc. Medical Technology (Radiotherapy) and Bachelor of Radiation Therapy Technology—with 30 seats each at IGMC Shimla and Dr. RPGMC Tanda. Equipment procurement was also sanctioned for five Critical Care Blocks across government medical facilities.
Education Reforms and Teacher Award Revisions
In the education sector, the Himachal Cabinet Decisions announced significant updates under the Teacher Award Policy:
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National Awardee Teachers: Cash award enhanced from ₹60,000 to ₹1.5 Lakh.
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State Awardee Teachers: Cash award raised from ₹40,000 to ₹1 Lakh.
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Policy Change: The government decided not to grant service extensions to award-winning teachers moving forward.
Under the Mukhya Mantri Bal Paushtik Aahar Yojana, government school students from Nursery to Class VIII will now receive a boiled egg or seasonal fruit twice a week under the Mid-Day Meal program.
Employment Drives and Rural Welfare Measures
The Himachal Cabinet Decisions approved a series of recruitment drives and honorarium hikes to strengthen local governance and frontline services:
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ASHA Workers: Monthly honorarium increased by ₹1,000, moving from ₹5,800 to ₹6,800 (effective April 1, 2026).
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Nambardars: Honorarium hiked from ₹4,500 to ₹5,000 per month.
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Fresh Job Sanctions: Approved filling 400 Multi-Task Worker posts in Gram Panchayats, 3,950 school support personnel, 200 Junior Office Assistants (Library), and 280 Job Trainee Technical Assistants.
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Police Constable Recruitment: Granted a 1-year age relaxation in the upper limit for candidates applying to 800 police constable posts.
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Fishermen Relief: Launched the Mukhya Mantri Machhuara Samman Nidhi Scheme, offering ₹3,500 in financial aid to eligible reservoir fishermen during the annual closed fishing season.
