Says, 800 more Police recruitments within next two months

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today distributed appointment letters to 1253 newly recruited constables during the 'Rozgar Sankalp Mela' held at the Police College, Daroh in Kangra district. Congratulating the recruits, the Chief Minister said that the newly recruited constables have a vital mission in the fight against drug abuse, in which the Himachal Pradesh Police has emerged as a strong and dependable force for the people of the state.

He said that the police recruitment process was conducted with complete transparency. Recalling the recruitment drives during the previous BJP regime, he noted that examination papers were leaked, which led to the cancellation of the process amid strong resentment among the youth. He added that to ensure fairness and transparency, the present government conducted the recruitment examination through the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission instead of the Police Department.

He announced that the state government will recruit 800 more police constables within the next two months adding that this step would further strengthen the Himachal Pradesh Police and improve public service delivery.

He added that the government remains committed to ensuring a capable and responsive police force across the state. The Chief Minister said that the newly appointed constables were not just joining a job, but also taking on an important responsibility. He added that the Himachal Pradesh Police is among the most modern, fastest and most trusted police forces in the country.

Highlighting performance indicators, Sh. Sukhu said that Himachal Pradesh Police ranks first in the country in terms of average response time under Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112). He further said that under Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), Himachal Pradesh has consistently held the top position among hill states. Under Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO), Himachal Pradesh Police has continuously secured the fifth position nationwide.

The Chief Minister said that the state government was committed to improve the quality of police uniforms. The Director General of Police has been directed to procure high-quality fabric from reputed companies and said that serious consideration was being given to increase the uniform grant for police constables.

He announced that from this year onwards, all ex-servicemen in the police force will be granted the rank of Honorary Head Constable after 10 years of service and Honorary Assistant Sub-Inspector after 15 years of service. He said that a decision had been taken to introduce the B-1 examination for promotion from constable to head constable. While an interim stay has been granted by the  High Court in this matter, he asserted that the government would strongly present its case.

The Chief Minister said that the state government has launched a determined campaign against the “Chitta” and prevailing drug mafia. He informed that in 2025, 2,149 cases were registered under the NDPS Act, which is nearly 25 percent higher than the previous year. He added that the government has initiated a mass movement to make youth aware of the harmful effects of Chitta and that the Anti-Chitta awareness Walkathons organised by Police in different parts of the State, were proving to be key pillars of this campaign.

He said that 12 police personnel involved in Chitta-related activities have been dismissed and strict action would also be taken against employees of other departments found involved in the drug racket. On the occasion, the Chief Minister administered an oath against drug abuse. The Police Department also held demonstrations of various rescue techniques.

Director General of Police Ashok Tiwari welcomed the Chief Minister and gave a detailed briefing on departmental activities.

Agriculture Minister Chaudhary Chander Kumar, MLAs Kishori Lal and Malender Rajan, Chairman Himachal Pradesh Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Sanjay Singh Chauhan, Chairman Kangra Cooperative Primary Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Ram Chander Pathania, Vice Chairman HRTC Ajay Verma, Chairman Wool Federation Manoj Thakur, Chairman APMC Kangra Nishu Mongra and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion amongst others.

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Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today inaugurated the newly established branch of the Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Bank (HPSCB) at Kaithu, marking another significant step towards strengthening the cooperative banking network in the State. The inauguration reflects the State Government’s continued commitment to ensure greater financial inclusion and accessible banking services for all sections of society.

He said that cooperative banks play a vital role in the socio-economic development of Himachal Pradesh, particularly in supporting farmers, small traders, self-help groups and rural entrepreneurs. He reiterated that the State Government is fully committed to the growth and strengthening of cooperative institutions and emphasized that the deposits of the State Government should be placed with the Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Bank. This would further enhance the financial strength and sustainability of the cooperative banking system in the State , he said.

Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu appreciated the performance of HPSCB and lauded its efforts in extending modern, technology-driven banking services while maintaining its core objective of serving the common people. He expressed hope that the newly inaugurated Kaithu branch would cater effectively to the financial needs of the local population and contribute to regional economic development.

He said that HPSCB has been playing a key role in implementing various State Government schemes like e-taxi scheme, thereby ensuring timely delivery of financial benefits to the people.

On the occasion, the Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Bank presented a cheque of Rs. 2 crore towards the Chief Minister Relief Fund. The Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to the bank for its generous contribution and stated that such support would go a long way in providing assistance to people in distress and in responding effectively to natural calamities and other emergencies in the State.

Managing Director of HPSCB Shravan Manta highlighted the achievements of the bank and briefed about its recent accomplishments. He informed that HPSCB has consistently strengthened its financial position, expanded its branch network and adopted digital banking solutions to enhance customer convenience.

MLA Harish Janartha, Mayor MC Shimla Surinder Chauhan and  Registrar Cooperative Societies Rajender Singh Negi and Chairman of the bank Devender Shyam along with other dignitaries were also present.

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 Directs timely payment to outsourced employees

A meeting of the Board of Directors of the Himachal Pradesh State Electronics Development Corporation (HPSEDC) was held here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

The Chief Minister directed the Corporation to ensure that remuneration of outsourced employees is paid by the 7th of every month so that they do not face any hardship in meeting their day-to-day financial needs.

He informed that HPSEDC recorded a turnover of Rs. 275 crore during the year 2023-24 with a net profit of Rs. 15 crore, and a turnover of Rs. 300 crore during the year 2024-25 with a net profit of Rs. 18 crore. He further stated that the Corporation has registered business worth Rs. 199.25 crore during the current financial year up to 31st December, 2025.

The Chief Minister asked the Corporation to revise the technical charges at the rate of five percent for tenders amounting up to rupees five crore, at the rate of three percent for tenders amounting above rupees five crore upto rupees ten crore and at the rate of two percent for tenders above rupees ten crore.

The Board of Directors also approved the change in nomenclature of the Himachal Pradesh State Electronics Development Corporation (HPSEDC) to Himachal Pradesh Electronics Manpower and Overseas Employment Corporation, as the Corporation has also been facilitating the youth of the State in securing overseas employment.

Members of the Board of Directors of HPSEDC, Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta, Principal Secretary (Finance) Devesh Kumar, Secretary (DDTG) Ashish Singhmar, Commissioner Industries Yunus, Director (DDTG) Dr. Nipun Jindal, Managing Director HPSEDC Harbans Brascon were also present in the meeting amongst others.

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Training and leave reserve quota of 300 doctors to be created in DHS

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while presiding over a review meeting of the Health Department here today, said that the State Government was making continuous efforts to strengthen healthcare services and improve facilities in government health institutions. The Chief Minister said that from April onwards, the process of procuring world-class, technology-enabled medical equipment would be initiated in health institutions across the state, involving an expenditure of about Rs. 3,000 crore. He added that the government was strengthening diagnostic services and addressing the shortage of paramedical staff and doctors to facilitate the patients. The recruitment process to fill vacant posts in health institutions was underway and additional posts would be created as per requirement.

Sh. Sukhu said that PET scan and robotic surgery facilities would soon be started at IGMC Shimla as well. He said that robotic surgery services have already been made available for patients at Super Specialty Hospital Chamiyana and Dr. RPGMC Tanda. He further added that the State Government was strengthening 'Aadarsh Swasthya Sansthan' to ensure better healthcare services to the patients at their doorsteps.

The Chief Minister directed that a training and leave reserve quota of 300 doctors would be created in the Department of Health Services to ensure that healthcare services were not hampered due to vacancies arising from doctors proceeding on PG courses and that such vacancies can be promptly filled. He also directed that smaller batches be formed for medical students and no class should have more than 60 students. The State Government would assist in constructing new lecture theatres to ensure quality education in medical colleges. He also emphasized up-gradation of facilities in all medical colleges.

He reiterated that strengthening healthcare infrastructure was a priority of the State Government and that modern equipment would significantly improve diagnosis and treatment outcomes. He said that the focus was to provide quality health services in all regions of the state, especially in remote and rural areas, so that patients, do not have to travel far for advanced medical care. The Government was working with a clear roadmap to ensure that every health institution is equipped with better facilities, adequate manpower and improved diagnostic services.

He said that the measures being taken would not only enhance patient care but also improve the working environment for doctors and healthcare staff. He stressed that the Health Department should ensure timely implementation of all initiatives so that the benefits reach the public at the earliest. Improving medical education and ensuring sufficient infrastructure in colleges was equally important for producing skilled doctors and strengthening the healthcare system in the long term, he remarked.

Secretary Health M. Sudha Devi, Special Secretary Ashwani Kumar, Director AYUSH Nipun Jindal, Director Medical Education Dr. Rakesh Sharma, Director Health Services Dr. Gopal Berry and other senior officers were present in the meeting.

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CM directs tourism deptt to issue provisional renewal registration to 'Home Stays', pending fire NoC

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today took a decisive step toward streamlining Himachal Pradesh’s tourism sector by launching the dedicated home stay registration portal, http://homestay.hp.gov.in designed to simplify the administrative process. The new platform allows operators to complete their registration online, ensuring a user-friendly experience from the comfort of their homes.

The Chief Minister emphasized that the state government was committed to facilitate hotel owners and home stay operators to ensure that their businesses remain unhindered by bureaucratic hurdles. In a significant move to support the hospitality industry, the Chief Minister issued clear directives that 'renewal of registration' of home stays must not be stalled under the pretext of Fire No Objection Certificates (NOC). He instructed the Tourism Department to grant provisional registrations to such establishments, ensuring that business operations and maintenance can proceed without harassment or unnecessary obstruction.

Highlighting the vast potential of the state's tourism landscape, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu noted that the Home Stay Scheme is a cornerstone of the government's strategy to foster self-employment. The initiative aims to promote rural tourism and draw visitors to the state’s untouched, lesser-known destinations. To maximize these opportunities, the government has expanded the scheme’s scope to include urban areas allowing for the registration of home stays with a capacity of up to six rooms.

The Chief Minister underscored that home stays offer a unique value proposition, providing tourists with an authentic "homely" experience through traditional village architecture and local cuisine. He remarked that serving traditional dishes not only enriches the tourist experience particularly for foreign visitors but also significantly boosts the income of local homeowners.

To further incentivize the sector, the Chief Minister highlighted the introduction of an interest subsidy scheme designed to assist people in setting up expanding or upgrading tourism units. Under this initiative, the state provides interest subsidies of three percent in urban areas, four percent in rural areas and five percent in tribal regions on term loans.

Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Board Vice Chairman R.S. Bali virtually joined the occasion, while the Principal Adviser (Media) to the Chief Minister, Naresh Chauhan, Principal Secretary Devesh Kumar and Director of Tourism Department Vivek Bhatia were present in Shimla.

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Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed the Forest Department to prepare a comprehensive roadmap to increase forest cover in Himachal Pradesh to 31 percent by the year 2030. Presiding over a review meeting of the Forest Department here today, the Chief Minister said that the present forest cover in the State stands at 29.5 percent and needs to be enhanced in a planned and sustainable manner.

The Chief Minister said that global warming has emerged as a major challenge worldwide and its adverse effects were clearly visible. Keeping this in view, the present State Government was according high priority to environmental conservation. He said that about 16,376 square kilometers of area in Himachal was snow-covered, barren or mountainous, where plantation was not feasible. Therefore, the Forest Department should identify potential areas in each district suitable for plantation and prepare a phased plantation plan accordingly. He also emphasized the plantation of native species, fruit-bearing plants and plants with medicinal value.

Sh. Sukhu stressed that the department should focus not only on creating new forests but also on protecting existing ones, while ensuring active participation of local people and communities. He said that the State Government has launched the ‘Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojana’ to promote community participation in forest plantation and conservation in the State. Under the scheme, plantation was carried out over 924.9 hectares during the previous year. A total of 285 Mahila Mandals, 70 Yuvak Mandals, 59 Self Help Groups and 13 community-based organizations actively contributed to this initiative. He added that under the scheme, the State Government was providing financial assistance of Rs. 2.40 lakh for plantation over two hectares to these groups, along with annual incentives linked to survival rates of plantations. The scheme has received an encouraging response from the targeted groups.

The Chief Minister further stated that a target has been set to undertake plantation over 5,000 hectares in the next financial year under the Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojana. Of this, 3,376 hectares have already been identified, while the process of identifying the remaining 1,624 hectares was underway. He also reviewed the progress of other schemes being implemented by the Forest Department.

Additional Chief Secretary K.K. Pant, PCCF (HoFF) Sanjay Sood and other senior officers of the Forest Department were present in the meeting.

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