Dated    Shimla-2     21^st November, 2008

 Notwithstanding the fact that Himachal Pradesh has been bearing the brunt of unabated fiscal crunch, the State Government within a short span of one year has opened new windows by generating large avenues of employment.

The State Government during almost 11 months of its governance has provided jobs to as many as 10201 educated unemployed youth of different categories in the State whereas the recruitment process is in progress to provide jobs to about 18000 people.

Himachal Pradesh has been adjudged first in the country in education sector and added that to strengthen this sector and ensure that vacant posts of the teachers are filled up, the State Government has recruited 3264 teachers in different cadres and categories, which includes 269 school lecturers direct recruitment, 1135 school lecturers through promotions, 200 Language Teachers, 150 OTs, 200 Assistant Librarians, 500 TGT Arts, 306 TGT Non-Medical, 504 TGT Medical.  In addition to this, 634 posts of College Lecturers, 4244 JBTs are being recruited very soon. Not only this, as many as 1702 posts of different categories have been filled up in the Education Department through the State Subordinate Service Selection Board.

Most of the teachers recruited would be posted in remote and far flung areas so that the children of these areas could receive quality education at their door steps.  Sincere and sustained efforts of the State Government succeeded in bringing three police battalions to the State. Out of these three battalions, one lady police battalion had been sanctioned by the Government of India. The recruitment process for filling up of 2100 more posts in police department is in progress. Similarly, 221 posts of doctors had been filled up in the Health Department to strengthen the health services in this hill State.  

As many as 516 posts have been filled up in Agriculture department and 92 post of different categories have been filled up in Public Works Department. Besides, recruitment for 2,222 jobs of different categories is in the pipeline. As many as 2090 vacancies have been filled up in Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Departments.

In the process, the State has already provided 1861 jobs through labour and employment, 250 in Pradesh State Electricity Board, 130 through Ex-Servicemen Corporation, 60 in Industries Department, 15 in Information and Public Relations Department.  Besides, thousands of poor and the deprived are being covered through National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), ensuring 100 days employment to every job card holder.

The State Government is committed to the welfare of the employees including financial benefits and promotion of the State employees and added that about 5000 promotion avenues have been created and eligible employees benefitted under the process.

The State Government has taken an historic decision to regularize 13,205 daily wagers and the process has been completed, whereas the regularization process of 6000 more daily wagers and contract employees is in progress. Financial benefits worth Rs. 500 crore have been provided in the form of Interim Relief and Dearness allowance to the employees of the State Government. The Government has generated employment to daily wagers who are engaged in the construction of roads and buildings and their wages have been enhanced from Rs. 75 to Rs. 100 so as to ensure better living conditions.