• Electricity Board division to open in Sulah
•  Bhawarna to become  Nagar Panchayat

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, during his visit to the Sulah Assembly constituency in Kangra district today declared that all eligible women of the Sulah constituency would be provided financial assistance of Rs. 1,500 under the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samaan Nidhi Yojna. He also announced a series of welfare, development and employment initiatives aimed at strengthening social security, infrastructure and public services in the region. He also announced the opening of a Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) division in Sulah and the up-gradation of Bhawarna town into a Nagar Panchayat.

Addressing a large public meeting, the Chief Minister said that the state government was making continuous and sincere efforts for the overall development of Kangra district. He informed that the expansion of Kangra Airport was underway and that affected people were being given fair compensation for their land. He said the airport expansion would bring economic prosperity to the region, boost tourism and generate employment opportunities at the local level, ensuring that youth would not be compelled to migrate to metropolitan cities like Delhi or Chandigarh even for small jobs.

Emphasizing the government’s commitment to employment generation, the Chief Minister said that large-scale recruitment was being undertaken in the public sector, particularly in the police department. He announced that the state government would soon recruit 800 police constables to strengthen the law enforcement machinery. He said special consideration would be given to youth who had returned home after serving under the Agniveer scheme introduced by the Union Government. These youth would be absorbed into the Himachal Pradesh Police and provided stable employment up to the age of 58, along with the benefits of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

The Chief Minister said that the Agniveer scheme, which limits service tenure to four years, had reduced the interest of many young people in Himachal Pradesh in joining the Army. The state government, therefore, decided to ensure long-term job security for such trained youth by providing them an opportunity to serve in the state police. “We do not believe in policies that end the future of youth after four years. Our government is committed to providing secure employment and social protection,” he said.

Speaking on education reforms, the Chief Minister said that during the previous BJP government, Himachal Pradesh had slipped to 21st position in education rankings. He said that just before the Assembly elections, schools were opened or upgraded without adequate budgetary support and staff, which weakened the education system. “I take decisions in the public interest. Parents send their children to school with the hope of quality education, but if the foundation is weak, how will children gain confidence?” he said. Due to the sustained efforts of the present government, Himachal Pradesh has now reached the fifth position in quality education. Teacher vacancies are being filled, English-medium education has been introduced from Class 1, and more than 200 schools are being converted to the CBSE curriculum.

On health services, the Chief Minister said that the condition of healthcare facilities was also poor during the previous BJP regime. He announced that within one year, AIIMS-level technology would be made available at Tanda Medical College, all other medical colleges, Palampur Hospital and all zonal hospitals to ensure quality treatment for patients. Recruitment was underway to overcome the shortage of doctors, and within six months all Primary Health Centres would have doctors, while medical colleges would be equipped with specialist doctors.

Launching a sharp attack on the BJP, the Chief Minister said the previous government had received nearly Rs. 50,000 crore more funds than the present government but they failed to utilise them properly. He said buildings worth Rs. 1,000 crore were constructed but remain vacant even today. He further alleged that in Baddi, around 5,000 bighas of land was allotted to big industrialists at throwaway prices under customized packages, causing huge losses to state revenue.

He clarified that the present government was not making any changes to Section 118 and that misinformation was being deliberately spread on social media. He said strict action would be taken against corrupt individuals and the government would not allow the people of Himachal Pradesh to be looted. Funds saved by curbing corruption were being channeled towards the welfare of orphans, widows, persons with disabilities and other weaker sections of society.

He also blamed the Centre of weakening the MGNREGA scheme, stating that it was introduced by the Congress-led UPA government for the benefit of the poor. He said the state government was conducting an IRDP survey in five phases to ensure that no eligible poor family was deprived of its rightful benefits.

Praising Sanjay Chauhan, Chairman of the State Co-operative, Agriculture and Rural Development Bank, the Chief Minister said he had played an important role in taking the bank to new heights and was sincerely committed to serving the people of Sulah by sharing their concerns and hardships.

During the programme, the Chief Minister also administered a pledge against drug abuse and said the government was taking strict action against the drug mafia to safeguard the future of youth. Various organizations honoured him on the occasion.

Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Chandra Kumar, addressing the gathering, said the Chief Minister’s vision was centred on the upliftment of villages and rural communities. He said that all budgets presented over the last three years had strengthened the rural economy. The government was promoting natural farming and empowering farmers and youth. Himachal Pradesh offers the highest Minimum Support Price in the country for natural farming produce, with wheat at Rs. 60 per kg and maize at Rs. 40 per kg. Efforts were also being made to ensure better marketing so that farmers receive remunerative prices.

Sanjay Singh Chauhan Chairman ARDB said that the Sulah Assembly constituency had suffered heavy losses during recent disasters and the Chief Minister had provided timely financial assistance to affected families. He said there was no shortage of development in the area and all announcements were being implemented on the ground. A vegetable market was under construction, which would benefit farmers in the future and government schemes were ensuring the welfare of farmers, women, labourers and all sections of society.

Ayush Minister Yadvinder, Vice Chairman of the State Planning Board Bhawani Singh Pathania, MLA Ashish Butail, District Congress President Anurag Sharma, Chairman HP School Education Board Dr. Rajesh Sharma, Vice Chairman HRTC Ajay Verma, Chairman Wool Federation Manoj Thakur, Ram Chander Pathania, Devender Jaggi, Chairman APMC Kangra Nishu Mongra, and several other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

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 Inaugurates newly upgraded Tehsil, Sulah

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today performed inaugurations and foundation stones of 14 development projects worth Rs. 76.41 crore in Sulah Assembly Constituency of Kangra district during his one day tour to the area. He also inaugurated the newly upgraded Tehsil, Sulah on the occasion.

The Chief Minister inaugurated double lane bridge across Moal khad on Hamirpur-Sujanpur-Thural-Maranda road constructed at cost of Rs. 12.57 crore, a bridge over Moal khad on Malag-Malaha link road built with an outlay of Rs. 3.57 crore. He also inaugurate combined office building at Dheera completed with an outlay of Rs. 10.82 crore, dedicated Rs.5.02 crore Community Health Centre building at Dheera to the people. Besides, the Chief Minister also dedicate Health Sub Centre building at Kharul completed with an outlay of Rs. 16 lakh and Rs. 15 lakh Health Sub Centre building at Bhoda. Apart from this he inaugurated Rs. 25 lakh Health Sub Centre building at Kona, Rs. 89 lakh Veterinary Hospital building at Sulah, Rs. 49 lakh Veterinary Dispensary building at Moondhi. The chief Minister also inaugurated Rs. 50 lakh additional accommodation of Government High School, Bhattu Samula, Rs. 5.45 crore  improvement of distribution system of WSS Jharet Rajhoon and WSS Prour Kharot in tehsil Palampur. The Chief Minister dedicated Rs. 31.69 crore Parour and other multi villages group piped water supply scheme for part of Bhawarna and Bhedu Mahadev Block and Ghaloon (Malnoon) under Sulah constituency.

He also laid foundation stones of Rs. 2.87 crore bridge over Moul khad on Gallu Bhoda to Shivnagar road and Rs. 2 crore for additional complex of Chaudhary Tara Chand Government Senior Secondary School, Gaggal, tehsil Dheera.

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Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today inaugurated helicopter services from the Sanjauli Heliport in Shimla, marking a significant milestone in strengthening air connectivity and promoting tourism in Himachal Pradesh. With this inauguration, daily helicopter flights have commenced from Sanjauli Heliport to Bhuntar Airport in Kullu and to the ITBP Helipad at Reckong-Peo throughout the week. Additionally, helicopter services between Chandigarh and Sanjauli Heliport will operate three days a week, viz: on Monday, Friday and Saturday.

The helicopter fare on the Sanjauli–Kullu route has been fixed at Rs. 3,500 per passenger, while the fare for the Sanjauli–Reckong Peo route has been set at Rs. 4,000 per passenger. The fare from Sanjauli to Chandigarh has been fixed at Rs. 3,169 per passenger.

The Chief Minister informed that helicopter services on the Sanjauli-Rampur-Reckong Peo and Sanjauli-Manali (SASE Helipad) routes would also be started soon. Proposals for these routes have already been submitted to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for approval of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Congratulating the people of the State on the commencement of helicopter services, Sh. Sukhu expressed hope that these services would greatly benefit stakeholders associated with the tourism sector. He said that the operation of flights from Sanjauli Heliport had been awaited for a long time and that this long-pending demand had finally been fulfilled. The new services will provide faster, safer and more convenient connectivity for tourists as well as the general public.

The Chief Minister further stated that the Sanjauli Heliport was located close to Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC), Shimla, which would make it extremely useful during medical emergencies. He reiterated that the State Government was making continuous efforts to promote tourism, as Himachal Pradesh is renowned Globally as a major tourist destination. The introduction of helicopter services will not only improve access to key tourist destinations but will also strengthen the overall air connectivity network in the State.

Emphasizing the State Government’s focus on tourism promotion, Sh. Sukhu said that heliports were being constructed at every district headquarters as well as at other prominent tourist destinations. He added that construction work on four heliports at Jaskot in Hamirpur district, Rakkar and Palampur in Kangra district, and Chamba which will be completed by March-April, with Rs. 15 crore being spent on each heliport. These heliports will encourage high-end tourists to visit Himachal Pradesh more frequently, thereby increasing income and employment opportunities for local people.

The Chief Minister stated that the present State Government was focused on creating essential infrastructure for both residents and tourists. He alleged that the previous BJP Government had wasted nearly Rs. 1,000 crore on the construction of buildings that remained unutilized and vacant.

It was informed that the foundation stone of the Sanjauli Heliport was laid on 13th September, 2017, during the tenure of the Congress Government. The heliport has been constructed at a cost of approximately Rs. 15.86 crore. Although it was inaugurated on January 12, 2022, operations could not begin earlier due to the absence of DGCA clearance. Owing to the persistent efforts of the present State Government, permission to operate flights was finally granted on 7th August, 2025. Prior to this, the DGCA and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security conducted several inspections, and all security-related observations were duly addressed by the State Government.

On the occasion, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation R.S. Bali, MLA Neeraj Nayar, Principal Media Advisor to the Chief Minister Naresh Chauhan, Director Tourism Vivek Bhatia, Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap and other senior officers were present.

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• Rs. 25 crore to be released for setting up Food Testing Lab in Kangra  & Rs. 8.50 crore for strengthening Kandaghat Lab

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while chairing a meeting of Health Department here today, said that the state government would formulate the first-ever Nutrition Policy for the State to ensure holistic benefits to the people. He said that the state government was implementing several nutrition and food security programmes, including the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Mid-Day Meal Scheme and the Public Distribution System (PDS). In view of these initiatives, nutritional profiling was of paramount importance, which would help in creating awareness among people about nutrients, caloric value and food fortification parameters.

The Chief Minister said that prior to finalizing the policy, the basic infrastructure related to nutrition and food testing was being strengthened across the State. As part of this initiative, the Composite Testing Laboratory (CTL), Kandaghat, would be upgraded and new laboratories will be established. In the first phase, a new laboratory would be constructed in Kangra district. In the coming years, regional testing laboratories will also be set up in other parts of the State. He said that the Stat Cabinet has recently cleared the proposal for establishment of new laboratories in Kangra, Mandi, Shimla and at Baddi in Solan district.

“The state government would provide Rs. 8.50 crore for strengthening the Kandaghat laboratory, while Rs. 25 crore would be released for setting up the food testing laboratory in Kangra district,” he said. The Chief Minister also directed that adequate manpower be ensured for the efficient functioning of these laboratories.

Principal Advisor (Media) to the Chief Minister Naresh Chauhan, Secretary to the Chief Minister Rakesh Kanwar, Special Secretary Health Jitender Sanjta and other senior officers were present in the meeting.

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Announces riverfront project of Rs. 250-crore for Manali  

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu inaugurated the Manali Winter Carnival-2026 at Manali in district Kullu today.

Marking the occasion, the Chief Minister flagged off nearly 300 colourful tableaux highlighting development activities of various departments. 

During the event, the Chief Minister announced the development of a riverfront project in Manali at a cost of Rs. 250 crore to promote tourism. He also announced the construction of five additional rooms in the new building of the Circuit House, Manali; installation of protective walls at seven identified locations for flood protection in the Manali area; construction of a parking facility in Old Manali at a cost of Rs. 2 crore and financial assistance of Rs. 25 lakh each for villages Solang and Karal to prevent landslides.

The Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh attracts tourists from across the country and abroad due to its natural beauty, cultural diversity, historical heritage and tradition of warm hospitality. Every year, crores of tourists visit the state. He added that the state government was continuously encouraging grand events like the Winter Carnival at major tourist destinations to make visitor's experiences memorable.

Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that tourism is a key pillar of the state’s economy. The government aims to establish Himachal Pradesh as a global hub for nature, religious, adventure, spiritual and wellness tourism. In this direction, ‘Green Himachal Biodiversity Park's and riverside parks are being developed in both urban and rural areas.

He said that a new eco-tourism policy has been implemented in the state. Under this policy, 11 eco-tourism sites have been allotted by November 2025 and the allotment process for 27 more sites was in its final stage. This initiative was not only boosting tourism but also promoting self-employment at the local level. To promote trekking, 245 trekking routes have been identified and a mobile application was being developed for the convenience of tourists. Ropeway projects were also being fast-tracked from an environmental conservation perspective.

The Chief Minister said that rules have been amended to promote home stay tourism and an interest subsidy scheme has been launched for home stay units. For setting up new home stays or expanding and upgrading existing ones, interest subsidy was being provided on investments of up to Rs. 5 crore, 3 percent in urban areas, 4 percent in rural areas and 5 percent in tribal areas. An online portal for home stay registration has also been launched.

To further promote tourism, priority was being given to the construction of heliports to connect all district headquarters with year-round air connectivity. A total of 16 new heliports were planned. In the first phase, nine heliports were being developed at Jaskot (Hamirpur), Rakkar and Palampur (Kangra), Sultanpur (Chamba), Aloo Ground and Manali (Kullu), Shabo (Kinnaur) and Jispa, Sissu and Rangrik (Lahaul-Spiti). The expansion of Kangra Airport was also progressing.

He said that Kangra district was being developed as the tourism capital of Himachal Pradesh. A world-class zoological park was under construction at Bankhandi in Dehra sub-division at an estimated cost of Rs. 619 crore. Additionally, the state’s first skywalk bridge would be built at Hassan Valley in Kufri, Shimla district.

The Chief Minister said that the government was also exploring the potential of horticulture tourism. Large orchards and clusters of orchards were being developed as part of rural tourism. He said that Himachal has immense potential for adventure tourism, and concrete efforts were being made to develop the state as an emerging adventure tourism destination.

He further said that luxury and adventure tourism activities have been introduced in the state’s reservoirs. For the first time, facilities such as cruise services, shikara boats, houseboats, jet skis, high-tech motorboats and water scooters have been made available at Govind Sagar Lake. These activities would be expanded to other reservoirs in the future. To promote border tourism, tourism activities have been started at Shipki-La in Kinnaur district and infrastructure was being developed in other border areas as well.

The Chief Minister emphasized that the state government was ensuring that tourism development remains environmentally sustainable, as the state’s natural beauty and resources were its most valuable heritage.

MLA Bhuvneshwar Gaur thanked the Chief Minister for allocating crores of rupees for development works and flood control in the Manali region. He said that development projects worth Rs. 500 crore have been undertaken in Manali town alone.

Deputy Commissioner Torul S. Ravish welcomed the Chief Minister and detailed about the activities being organized during the winter carnival festival.

MLA Sunder Singh Thakur, Chairperson of the State Women Commission Vidya Negi, Milk Federation Chairman Buddhi Singh Thakur, State Water Management Chairman Shashi Sharma, APMC Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti Chairman Mian Ram Singh, District Red Cross Coordinator Chandrshekhar Sharma, District Congress Committee President Ses Ram Azad, Congress leader Rajeev Kimta, members of the Zila Parishad Kullu, Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Councillors of the Manali Municipal Council, and Superintendent of Police Madan Lal Kaushik were present on the occasion.

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today inaugurated the NSUI District Mandi’s ‘Drug-Free Campus’ campaign from Shimla. The main aim of the campaign is to make young people aware of the harmful effects of drugs especially chitta in school and college campuses and to encourage them to take part in education, sports and other positive activities.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister said that NSUI Mandi’s ‘Drug-Free Campus’ campaign strengthens the state government’s vision of a drug-free Himachal  and gives further momentum to the government’s ongoing drive against drug abuse, including chitta. He appreciated the initiative and said that such campaigns were extremely important to keep the youth away from drugs.

NSUI District Mandi President Anit Jaswal said that the campaign was inspired by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s anti-chitta campaign and aims to make school and college campuses free from drugs. He said that the campaign would include awareness programmes, anti-drug pledges, anti-chitta walkathons and sports tournaments. The campaign would run from 23 January to 15 February, with programmes first being organised at the school level and later at the college level.

MLAs Sanjay Awasthi and Rakesh Kalia were also present on the occasion.

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