Government of ‘Sukh’ committed to change the system

after the country got independence Eight months later, on April 15, 1948, this beautiful hilly region came into existence as the Union Territory of Chief Commissioner’s Province with the merger of 30 small and big hilly princely states. The credit for establishing the state as a separate state goes to the then leadership as well as the heroes and agitators of the Praja Mandal movement and the conscious people here. Dhami firing, Suket Satyagraha, Pajhota movement have a special place in the glorious history of Himachal Pradesh. On December 11, 2022, our government took charge. With this, a new era of public welfare and system change started in the state. Changing the tradition of going to the Secretariat after taking oath as the Chief Minister, I first went to the Balika Ashram Tutikandi. I met the children, talked to them. They didn’t make any demands but I could feel that there was a spirit to do something on their faces despite the scarcity. As a New Year gift, the government announced setting up of the Chief Minister’s Sukh-Ashray Kosh with an initial provision of Rs 101 crore. The government has decided that now we will be the mother as well as the father of such orphans. The responsibility of their happiness-sorrow, education, health and travel is also ours. We have decided to adopt about 6,000 orphan children of the state as ‘Children of the State’ under the Chief Minister’s Sukh-Ashray Yojana.

The first budget of our government is not a normal budget. I continuously held meetings of various departments to learn, understand and think about the plans. In the interest of the state, we brought the budget out of the box. You will start seeing the effect of the schemes included in the budget within a year. We want the state to become self-reliant and our economy to be strong. Our first promise was to restore the old pension scheme. In the first cabinet meeting itself, we decided to bring 1.36 lakh government employees under the old pension scheme. In this sequence, we have decided to give pension of Rs 1500 to 2.31 lakh women.

We have abolished the condition of income limit and permission from Gram Sabha for widows and 40 to 69 percent disabled people to get pension. Chief Minister’s Widow and Single Woman Housing Scheme is being started to build houses for widows and single women. Under this, an assistance of Rs 1.50 lakh will be given to 7000 such women this year.

The government has taken a decisive step in the direction of providing equal rights to daughters in property. The Bill to amend the Himachal Pradesh Land Holding Maximum Limit Act, 1972 has been passed in the Vidhansabha. Now by removing unconstitutional clauses promoting gender inequality, daughters have been ensured equal rights in land ownership of ancestral property. The people of the state, especially the children, will be made aware about the provisions of the ‘Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act’ (POCSO) under the Chief Minister’s Safe Childhood Campaign.
The climate and flowing water of the state is a boon for us. For the first time we are running with a target. This state will be developed as a green energy state by March 2026. The State Government has entered into an agreement for the Green Hydrogen and Ammonia Project. With this, investment of more than Rs 4,000 crore will be made in the state and more than 3500 employment opportunities will be created. 6 green corridors have been declared in the state, where traffic facility will be provided through electric vehicles. With the efforts of the government, the state is emerging as a model state for electric vehicles. Private operators will be given subsidy at the rate of 50 percent to a maximum of Rs 50 lakh for taking electric buses, electric trucks, electric taxis, electric autos and e-goods carriers. Himachal Pradesh has immense potential for tourism development. We have started working in this direction. Tourism development scheme will also be started in the state with the help of Asian Development Bank at a cost of Rs 1311 crore.

The state government has taken this decision that robotic surgery will start in some departments of the state’s medical colleges within a year. It has also been decided to upgrade the casualty department in all the medical colleges to make ’emergency medicine department’. One health institute in each assembly constituency will be upgraded as a model health institute. We are committed to strengthen the education system. We believe that instead of opening or upgrading new schools, qualitative facilities like teachers, libraries, labs, good buildings and sports grounds should be provided in the existing schools.

The skill development of the youth of the state will be done in those areas, in which more employment opportunities are being generated. Keeping this in view, various vocational courses are being started in various government institutions. We are ensuring that no meritorious poor child is deprived of higher education due to lack of money. Rs 200 crore Rajiv Gandhi Higher Education Promotion Scheme is being started in the state, under which poor children will be given engineering, medical, MBA, Ph.D, B. Loans will be made available at one percent interest rate with the help of financial institutions for professional courses like pharmacy, nursing etc.

Efforts will be made to provide uninterrupted water supply in the state. In the first phase, drinking water schemes will be upgraded in some Nagar Panchayats and Nagar Parishads along the river or dam on a pilot basis. The supply of bacteria-free water will be ensured by using ultra-violet rays. With the aim of providing quality roads, Chief Minister’s Road and Maintenance Scheme will be started. This year 1,060 km of new roads will be constructed, metalling and tarring of 1,505 km of roads and 70 new bridges will be constructed. 70 villages will be connected with road facility. 70 percent of the state’s population is dependent on agriculture and allied sectors, but due to increasing population and dependence on nature, today agriculture and animal husbandry are becoming difficult business. Him Unnati Yojana is being started for the overall development of agriculture sector. The state government will provide loan at 2 percent interest rate to promote start-ups in agriculture, animal husbandry, horticulture and fisheries sector. Rs 500 crore Him Ganga scheme is also being started to develop the milk-based system. Through this, fair price of milk will be provided to the cattle herders and improvement will be brought in the processing and marketing of milk. An attractive policy will be brought to encourage private investment in hydropower exploitation and create employment opportunities. In order to provide employment to the youth, Mukhyamantri Rojgar Sankalp Seva is being started, under which employment opportunities will be available to the youth of remote areas at the national and international level. We have decided to fill 25 thousand functional posts of various departments this year.

Our government has decided that plantation will be done only on the empty hills. To fulfill this objective, saplings will be planted on empty hills in 12 districts under the Chief Minister’s Green Cover Mission. Earlier it used to take a long time to give forest clearances in development works. The government has constituted district level committees to speed up the forest clearances, which will review the cases of forest clearances from time to time with the concerned officers of their district. The existing single window system in the state will be converted into Bureau of Investment Promotion. Rajiv Gandhi Swarojgar Yojana will be started for youth to start self-employment and start-ups. MGNREGA daily wages have been increased from Rs 212 to Rs 240 in the state. Similarly, the daily wage in tribal areas has been increased from Rs.266 to Rs.294. Mukhyamantri Laghu Shopkeeper Kalyan Yojana will be started to give 50 percent interest subsidy to small shopkeepers and traders on loans up to Rs.50,000. The Government is committed to provide corruption-free, responsive and accountable administration while ensuring transparency in every sphere. Our aim is equal and balanced development of all classes and all regions and upliftment of poor and backward classes. The government is making continuous efforts to take the state to new heights of public welfare and development and to strengthen the economy of the state. Will continue to wish for your positive cooperation on the path of development. You gave us a chance to change the system in the state by giving referendum. We are grateful to you. Once again best wishes to all of you on Himachal Day.

(The author is Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh)

Thakur Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu