Women exempted from HPPSC, HPSSC exam fees

Women candidates appearing for competitive examinations held by the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) and the state Staff Selection Commission (HPSSC) will not have to pay any fees, officials said on Saturday.

The decision was taken by the Himachal Pradesh cabinet on Saturday, an official spokesperson said.

The fees for various competitive examinations conducted by the HPPSC and the HPSSC vary from Rs 500 to Rs 1,500, according to another official.

The cabinet in its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur also gave its consent to provide free textbooks to all general category students of class 9 and 10 of government schools.

It also gave its approval to enhance the financial assistance being given to the eligible families under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna–Gramin and Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojna by Rs 20,000. Now, the beneficiaries will be getting Rs 1.50 lakh instead of Rs 1.30 lakh.

It also decided to increase the amount under Mukhya Mantri Awas Murammat Yojna from existing Rs 25,000 to Rs 35,000.

Keeping in view the vulnerability of the state to multiple natural and man-induced hazards, the cabinet decided to constitute State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) consisting of three companies.

The cabinet gave its approval to fill up 174 posts of different categories in the police department for its smooth functioning.

It gave its nod to link 10 market yards with e-NAM (Electronic National Agriculture Market) to ensure remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce. With this, 29 market yards (Subzi Mandi) have been linked with this facility, the spokesperson said.

This would provide the farmers a common online market platform for sale of their produce besides providing them better price through transparent auction process along with timely online payment, he added.

The cabinet also decided to fill up 10 posts of Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services through direct recruitment from the HPPSC in Personnel Department.