Shimla, April 18 -- Himachal Pradesh cabinet on Friday gave its nod to engage retired faculty members as professors in new medical colleges. The decision will address the issue of acute shortage of teaching staff across various clinical and non-clinical specialities in the newly established medical colleges--Nahan, Chamba, Hamirpur, and Nerchowk. The proposal was submitted by the medical education department. The professors will receive Rs.2.5 lakh per month along with an incentive of Rs.50,000. Approval was also granted to provide an honorarium of Rs.3 lakh to radiology professors in these colleges. The cabinet, in its meeting held in Shimla, decided to create and fill 1,000 police constable posts and 500 assistant forest guard posts, with a 50% quota for Van Mitras. It was also decided to engage eight naib tehsildar, 20 kanungo and 44 patwaris from retired officers and officials of revenue department on fixed remunerations for the forest department, along with engaging 10 legal consultants in 10 territorial circles of the department. The Cabinet also decided to enhance the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat from Rs.60 to Rs.80 per kg, maize from Rs.40 to Rs.50 per kg, barley from Pangi Valley of Chamba district from Rs.60 to Rs.80 per kg, raw turmeric from Rs.90 to Rs.150 per kg and ginger at the rate of Rs.30 per kg produced through naturally farming. The cabinet also quashed the requirement for homestays to have a no-objection certificate from the fire department, making it more streamlined and citizen-friendly. Approval was also accorded to 71 small hydroelectric projects under Him Urja, aimed at strengthening renewable energy generation in the state. Additionally, the Cabinet also accorded approval for the purchase of four Toyota Innova vehicles for high court judges. It also decided to reorganise the administrative set-up of divisions of the jal shakti department in Sirmaur district based on constituency, as it will be convenient for the department to provide better facilities to the public. While sharing details of the decisions, Himachal Pradesh industry minister Harshwardhan Chauhan clarified that no discussion was held on the issue of panchayat polls....