Himachal announces Rs 1,500 monthly aid, 300 units free power for women aged 18-59 yrs

Around 3.50 lakh eligible women aged between 18 and 59 years are set to receive a monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,500 and 300 units of free electricity after the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, on Friday accorded its approval for the launch of the ‘Mukhya Mantri Apna Parivar Sukhi Parivar Yojna’ ahead of the Assembly elections due in the latter half of 2027.

Under the scheme, all eligible women in a family will receive monthly financial assistance, but only one member will be eligible for free electricity each month. For women above 59 years, the state government has already enhanced their monthly financial assistance from Rs 1,050 to Rs 1,500, according to a government spokesperson.

The Cabinet also approved the launch of the ‘Khelo Himachal Chitta Mukt Abhiyan-2026’ across all 12 districts to engage young people in sports and strengthen the campaign against drug abuse. In the power sector, the government approved amendments to the Swaran Jayanti Energy Policy-2021, providing 50 per cent free power royalty for the first 10 years after the completion of 40 years of operation of commissioned projects of the Central Public Sector Undertakings.

These projects will be transferred to the state government free of cost after 50 years of commissioning. The Cabinet also decided to cancel the allotment of 222 solar power projects due to prolonged non-implementation. Allotments of 13 hydroelectric projects of above 25 MW capacity were also cancelled for the violation of policy provisions, while 20 projects would be put up for fresh bidding, the spokesperson said.

To promote public transport, the Cabinet increased the subsidy from 30 to 40 per cent on the purchase of diesel buses under the Rajiv Gandhi Swarojgar Start-up Yojna -2023. It also approved a 50 per cent subsidy on the purchase of electric buses and 40 per cent on diesel buses with more than 10 seats on identified routes connecting Hamirpur Bus Stand with Dr Radhakrishnan Government Medical College, Jolsapper, and the new OPD at IGMC, Shimla, with Atal Institute of Medical Super Speciality, Chamiyana, the spokesperson said.