SHIMLA, Sept 28 — The Himachal Pradesh government has cleared recruitment of 4,852 posts in the Jal Shakti department, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said on Saturday. The proposal will be sent to the cabinet for final approval.
Of the total vacancies, 1,726 posts for pump operators, para-pump operators and para-fitters have been sanctioned. In addition, 4,136 outsourced positions will now be filled directly at the departmental level, a move Agnihotri said would save the state nearly ₹25 crore annually compared with the ₹98 crore currently spent on contractors.
Other vacancies include 111 work inspectors, 100 junior engineers, and several posts for hydrologists. The government has also approved 505 appointments on compassionate grounds, of which 76 have already been filled after verification of documents.
Agnihotri announced that jal rakshaks will now be promoted to pump attendants after eight years of service, down from the existing 12 years. “So far, 1,346 of the 3,486 jal rakshaks have been promoted,” he noted. Pump operators and para-fitters will also see higher salaries, replacing the current ₹5,000–6,000 monthly pay. He added that a new policy for multi-task workers is being framed to ensure fairer remuneration.
The deputy chief minister also addressed concerns in the transport sector, assuring timely pension disbursement to Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) retirees. He acknowledged that 96 HRTC routes are currently running at a loss, a situation aggravated by idle buses during the monsoon. He urged the Centre to release ₹1,500 crore in disaster relief in a single installment.
Turning to water schemes, Agnihotri said many suffered damages worth ₹1,476 crore in recent natural disasters. The government is considering taking back schemes presently handled by contractors and will seek funding support from both the Centre and the state to restore irrigation and drinking water projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
