The Himachal Pradesh cabinet on Friday decided that all government colleges in the state would open for regular classes from 8 February, 2021 after winter vacations by strictly following laid down Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Covid-19.

Presided over by Chief Minister, Jai Ram Thakur, the cabinet, in its meeting here, decided that all the teachers of summer closing government schools in the state would attend the schools from 27 January, 2021.

The students of classes 5 and 8 to 12 of summer closing schools would be allowed to attend regular classes from 1 February, 2021 by strictly following laid down Covid-19 SOPs.

The school management of these schools would ensure strict use of face masks, social distancing and use of sanitizers in the school premises. Similarly, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Polytechnic and Engineering colleges would also be opened from 1 February, 2021.

An official spokesman said the cabinet also decided that students of classes 5 and 8 to 12 of winter closing schools would be allowed to attend regular classes after winter vacations with effect from 15 February, 2021.

The Online system for education under Har Ghar Pathshala would continue. The similar system can be adopted by the private schools in the state.

The spokesman said keeping in view the Covid-19 pandemic, the state government has constructed four MakeShift Hospitals at IGMC Shimla, CH Nalagarh, RPGMC, Tanda and Medical College, Ner Chowk.

Now, due to reduction in Covid-19 active cases, the cabinet decided to ensure optimum use of these MakeShift Hospitals. The MakeShift Hospital at IGMC would be used as Medicine Intensive Care Unit, MakeShift Hospital at RPGMC Tanda as Communicable Diseases/ Infectious Diseases Ward, MakeShift Hospital at CH Nalagarh as Trauma Care Centre and MakeShift Hospital at SLBSGMC Mandi at Ner Chowk as Super Specialty Ward.

It also decided to notify Zonal Hospital Dharamshala and DDU Hospital Shimla as Non Covid Hospitals.

The spokesman said the cabinet gave its approval to issue Letter of Intent in favour of M/s RCCPL Private Ltd., Navi Mumbai regarding mining lease on 599.1935 hectares of area for extraction of lime stones and mining minerals for cement plant in villages Kamandal, Kumarla, Gitrata and Aara of Chopal Tehsil in Shimla district for a period of three years.

The spokesman said in order to facilitate the early construction of Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College Chamba complex, the cabinet gave its nod to raze 28 old government structures from the construction site.

The cabinet decided to set up Women Help Desks in District Police Offices and Police Thanas in the state to make police stations more women friendly and approachable. It also gave its nod to purchase 136 scooty/scooter along with 272 helmets and 136 Desktop Computer to strengthen the Women Help Desks in the Police department.

As per the spokesman, the cabinet also gave its consent to provide required machinery and equipments to strengthen Anti-Human Trafficking Units in six districts of the State viz. Shimla, Kangra, Kullu, Sirmaur, Solan and Chamba.