Shimla, 9 January 2025: The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet approved a uniform stamp duty rate of 12% for transactions under Section 118(2)(H) of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, with prior state government sanction.
The decision followed a cabinet meeting on Thursday, chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who also endorsed an ordinance amending Schedule 1A of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 to facilitate this change.
The Cabinet further took significant steps in environmental protection, including a ban on the felling of trees except for safeda, poplar, and bamboo. It also permitted the felling of khair in accordance with the state’s 10-year program. To safeguard Shimla’s natural heritage, the area surrounding the Tara Devi Temple will be designated as a green zone.
Regarding the Kishau Multipurpose Project, the Cabinet reiterated its plea to the Centre for a 90:10 funding formula for the power component, similar to that for the water segment. In an alternative proposal, the state requested a 50-year interest-free loan for the amount due for the power component under the inter-state agreement.
As part of its green energy initiative, the Cabinet delegated authority to the Energy Department to oversee the allocation and monitoring of large-scale hydro, solar, and storage projects, as well as emerging technologies like green hydrogen and biomass. This includes a 1-MW green hydrogen project at Nalagarh to be executed by HPPCL.
Additionally, the Cabinet approved a green energy development charge for pumped storage projects, set at ₹2.5 lakh per MW for the first 10 years post-commissioning, rising to ₹5 lakh per MW annually thereafter.
In recognition of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Cabinet approved renaming the Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administration (HIPA) to the Dr. Manmohan Singh Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administration.
The Cabinet observed two minutes of silence in tribute to Dr. Singh, highlighting his contributions to the state’s development, including projects such as the Atal Tunnel, three medical colleges, and IIT Mandi.
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Additional decisions included the expansion of the Below Poverty Line (BPL) list to include families without adult members between 18 and 59 years, those headed by women or persons with disabilities, and families with members suffering from chronic diseases like cancer or Alzheimer’s.
Ten new posts for junior office assistants (IT) were sanctioned for the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission, and key developments in administration were approved, such as the upgrading of Panchrukhi sub tehsil to a full tehsil and new sub tehsils in Shimla, Chamba, and Kangra districts.
The Cabinet also approved the Baddi-Barotiwala Nalagarh Development Authority Land Pooling Policy, 2025, and designated the Rathal Jatar Mela as a district-level fair in Shimla.
