DW BUREAU / SHIMLA Himachal Pradesh cabinet on Monday decided to grant revised pension/ family pension to about 1.73 lakh pensioners/family pensioners of the state from 1 February, 2022. This decision would ensure revision of pension/family pension of 1.30 lakh pensioners/family pensioners from 1January, 2016. In addition to it, about 43,000 employees, who have retired between 1 January, 2016 and 31 December, 2021 would also get revised pension and gratuity. Now minimum pension/ family pension would increase from Rs 3500 per month to Rs 9000 per month from 1 January, 2016. In a meeting chaired by Chief Minister, Jai Ram Thakur, the cabinet gave its nod to increase limit of gratuity from Rs10 lakh to Rs. 20 lakh from 1 January, 2016 which would also be applicable for NPS employees. An official spokesman here said the pensioners/family pensioners of the state above 80 years would be provided due additional pension benefit on revised pension/family pension. He said the cabinet also decided to provide Invalid Pension and Family Pension to NPS employees of the State Government on which Rs 250 crore would be spent. The cabinet also decided to provide 31 percent dearness relief to the pensioners from 1st July, 2021. An annual additional expenditure of Rs. 1785 crore would be incurred on account of revision of pension. The spokesman said the state government had already provided Rs 1450.44 crore to the pensioners as interim relief. It also gave its nod for Governor Address to be delivered in HP Vidhan Sabha. While reviewing Covid-19 situation in the state, the Himachal cabinet decided to open all the educational institutions in the state from 17 February, 2022. It also decided that all gyms and cinema halls would be opened and all kinds of langars would be allowed. The cabinet gave its approval for creation and filling up of 8 posts of Sub Fire Officers in the Himachal Pradesh Fire Services Department on contract basis through Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission. It also gave its approval to open three new Sub Fire Stations at Dheera in Kangra district, Bhatiyat in Chamba district and at Rewalsar in Mandi district and three new Fire Posts at Chirgaon in Shimla, Bhoranj in Hamirpur district and at South Portal of Atal Tunnel Rohtang. It also gave its nod for creating and filling up of one post of Sub Fire Officer, 2 posts of Leading Fireman, 14 posts of Firemen and six posts of driver-cum pump operator in each newly created Sub Fire Station and one post of leading fireman, 12 posts of firemen and four posts of driver cum pump operator in each newly opened Fire Post besides sanctioning one Type-B Water Tender, one Water Browser and one CO2 vehicle for each newly opened Sub Fire Station and one Type-B Water Tender and one Quick Response Vehicle for each newly created Fire Post. It decided to open Jal Shakti Sub Division at Sangla in Kinnaur district, under Jal Shakti Division Reckong Peo, along with a new Jal Shakti Section at Karchham, besides creating and filling up of four posts of different categories to manage these offices. (editor@dailyworld.in)