SHIMLA 4 August, 2026

A delegation of Age Care India Himachal Chapter call on Governor

A delegation of Age Care India, Himachal Pradesh Chapter, led by its President R.L. Jain and General Secretary Dr. Amarpal Singh Kochhar called on Governor Kavinder Gupta at Lok Bhavan today.

The delegation briefed the Governor about the organisation's activities for the welfare of senior citizens, including health camps, old-age care services, awareness programmes and initiatives aimed at promoting healthy and dignified ageing. They also submitted a memorandum seeking the Governor's patronage and support for strengthening social welfare initiatives for the elderly in the State.

The Governor appreciated the organisation's dedicated efforts towards the welfare of senior citizens and lauded the invaluable contribution of voluntary organisations in complementing the Government's social welfare initiatives. He assured the delegation that their suggestions would receive due consideration and wished the organisation success in its humanitarian endeavours.

Sr. Vice President of the Chapter S.S. Kaushal, Vice President Chowdhry Waryam Singh Bains and C.M. Walia, Executive Member were also present on the occasion.

==============================================

259 Assistant Staff Nurses recruited in medical colleges and AIMSS, Chamiyana

In a significant step towards further strengthening healthcare services across Himachal Pradesh, the state government has issued appointment letters to 259 Assistant Staff Nurses to be deployed in Government Medical Colleges and hospitals and the Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialities (AIMSS), Chamiana, Shimla.

These appointments have been made on the recommendations of the Himachal Pradesh Rajya Chayan Aayog, Hamirpur. The newly recruited Assistant Staff Nurses will be posted in IGMC, Shimla, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College Tanda, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar Medical College, Nahan, Dr. Radhakrishnan Government Medical College, Hamirpur, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Nerchowk, Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College, Chamba as well as the AIMSS, Chamiana.

The recruitment is expected to augment the existing healthcare workforce, improve patient care and strengthen the functioning of tertiary healthcare institutions in the State. The induction of trained nursing personnel will also help meet the growing demand for quality medical services and ensuring better healthcare services to the patients. Earlier in June, 2026, the government had appointed 372 Assistant Staff Nurses in various Government Medical Colleges across the State.

Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the state government was committed to providing accessible, affordable and quality healthcare facilities to every citizen. He said that strengthening the healthcare system remained one of the highest priorities of the government and every possible effort was being made to equip medical institutions with adequate infrastructure and skilled human resources.

The Chief Minister said that the recruitment of Assistant Staff Nurses was another important step towards improving healthcare services in the state. He added that the government would continue to fill vacant posts in the health sector and undertake necessary measures to ensure that government hospitals and medical colleges are adequately staffed to provide efficient and patient-centric healthcare services.

==============================================

State notifies guidelines for jeepable and ambulance link roads

The state government has notified guidelines for design, construction and certification of jeepable and ambulance link roads in Himachal Pradesh. These are the first comprehensive guidelines of its kind in the country to provide a scientific and uniform system for planning, construction, certification and maintenance of jeepable and ambulance link roads.

It aims to improve safe road connectivity to remote villages. These roads are meant for the movement of jeeps, ambulances and other light vehicles, ensuring that people living in far-flung areas have better access to healthcare, education and other essential services. The guidelines include provisions relating to road width, pavement, drainage, retaining and breast walls, slope protection, road safety measures and proper maintenance so that these roads remain safe and durable.

Over the years, many jeepable roads were constructed in different parts of the state without uniform engineering standards. As a result, some roads lacked essential safety features and could not be brought under a proper system of certification and maintenance. The new guidelines provide a mechanism to inspect such existing roads, upgrade them wherever required and certify them after they meet the prescribed safety standards. Once certified, these roads can also be included under the State's regular maintenance system.

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the state government was committed to making road travel safer and more reliable for every citizen, particularly those living in remote and hilly regions. He said that road safety was one of the government's highest priorities and every effort was being made to ensure that infrastructure was developed according to scientific standards, reducing the risk of accidents and providing safe transportation facilities to the people.

The Chief Minister said that strengthening road connectivity was essential for balanced and inclusive development. Better roads improve access to healthcare, education, markets and emergency services while also promoting tourism and economic activities. He said that the new guidelines would help create a safer, more systematic and sustainable road network across the state and ensure that even the most remote habitations receive dependable last-mile connectivity.

===============================================

State government to introduce new health insurance policy: CM

• Poor families to receive access to quality healthcare with health cover upto Rs. 10 lakh

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while chairing a high-level meeting of the Health department here today, said that the state government was set to introduce a new health insurance policy aimed at ensuring access to quality healthcare for economically weaker families across Himachal Pradesh.

He said that under the proposed policy, poor families would receive health insurance coverage of upto Rs. 10 lakh at a highly affordable premium. He added that with this pioneering initiative, Himachal Pradesh would become the first state in the country to offer such a comprehensive health insurance scheme at a nominal premium.

The Chief Minister said that nearly 10 lakh families belonging to various sections of society would be brought under the ambit of the new policy.

He further stated that leading multi-speciality and tertiary care hospitals would also be empanelled under the scheme to ensure that these families were not deprived of advanced medical treatment due to economic constraints. He said the policy had been designed with the objective of providing equitable access to quality healthcare for every eligible citizen.

Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the state government had been consistently introducing innovative initiatives to strengthen the healthcare sector. He said that hospitals and medical education institutions were being modernized, while medical diagnostic services were being upgraded through automation. This initiative would enable patients to avail timely, efficient and hassle-free diagnostic services, besides ensuring greater convenience and saving valuable time.

The Chief Minister said that the state government was strengthening healthcare infrastructure in district hospitals and all government medical colleges to ensure that people receive quality medical treatment closer to their homes.

He directed the officers to ensure procurement of all medical equipment in accordance with the standards prescribed by AIIMS, New Delhi. He also instructed that the Radiology departments of all government medical colleges be further strengthened to enhance the quality of diagnostic and healthcare services.

The Chief Minister said that the state government was committed to developing world-class healthcare facilities within Himachal Pradesh so that people do not have to travel outside the state for advanced medical treatment.

Advocate General Anoop Rattan, Chief Secretary K.K. Pant, Principal Secretary Finance Devesh Kumar, Secretary Health Ashish Singhmar and other senior officers were present in the meeting.