HP cabinet decides to set up 6th finance commission

SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh cabinet, at a meeting held here on Thursday, gave its consent to constitute the 6th State Finance Commission. The commission will review the financial position of panchayats and urban local bodies and make recommendations to the governor on measures needed to improve their financial position with determination of taxes, duties, tolls and fees and grants in aid.
The cabinet, presided over chaired by chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, also decided to increase the honorarium of Jal Rakshaks, Para Fitters and Para Pump Operators in Jal Shakti Vibhag by Rs 300 per month.With this increase, Jal Rakshaks would now get Rs 3,300 per month, while Para Fitters and Para Pump Operators would get an honorarium of Rs 4,300 per month.
It gave its nod to amend the income criteria for eligibility of 3 biswa and 2 biswa land in rural and urban areas of the state respectively to houseless persons and families by enhancing it from existing Rs 50,000 to Rs one lakh per annum. It also accorded approval for procurement, supply and distribution of school bags under Atal School Vardi Yojna to students of classes I, III, VI and IX on e-tender basis through Himachal Pradesh State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited for the year 2020-21. This would benefit 2,56,514 students of these classes.
It decided to create a State Disaster Mitigation Fund and approved the guidelines for its administration under Disaster Management Act, 2005 and Rules, 2011 to meet the expenses on mitigation, as preparedness and response activities are covered under a separate fund known as State Disaster Management Fund. Under this fund, 20% of the State Disaster Risk Management Fund would be used for mitigation, which comes to Rs 90.80 crore for the current financial year.
Funds worth Rs 50 crore have also been recommended for managing seismic and landslide risks in hill States from National Disaster Mitigation Fund.