Return empty packages for deposit refund: HP Cabinet okays scheme to reduce non-bio waste

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet on Saturday approved a scheme under which consumers will pay a refundable deposit above the price of a non-biodegradable product, which will be returned when the empty item is brought back, an official statement said. The 'Deposit Refund Scheme 2025' aims to manage and reduce non-biodegradable waste. It will be implemented on a pilot basis and will apply to a range of packaging materials including glass bottles, plastic beverage containers, aluminium cans, liquid packaging, flexible plastic packaging, and multilayered packages, it said.

Chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Cabinet also decided to fill 700 posts of home guard volunteers in the Home Guards and Civil Defence Department. It also approved regularisation of services of 203 Panchayat Secretaries (Zila Parishad cadre) who have completed two years of contractual service as of March 31, 2025. Further it cleared the shifting of the Himachal Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) office from Shimla to Dharamsala. An amendment to the Postgraduate/Specialist Services (PG/SS) Policy was approved, withdrawing the mandatory one-year field posting prior to eligibility for Senior Residency at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda. This aligns with the policy at AIIMS, Chamiyana, and its objective is to streamline selection processes and harmonise the Resident Doctor and PG/SS policies. The Cabinet also authorised the Himachal Pradesh Forest Development Corporation to collect minor minerals and conduct dredging operations in rivers and ponds in forest areas for better resource management and environmental sustainability. Additionally, it decided to reorganise the development blocks of Sulah, Bhawarna, and Lambagaon in Kangra district, and Bhoranj in Hamirpur district, to facilitate the people in these areas.