Himachal Pradesh Government

CM inaugurates Dharmshala city’s first solar power project
Project to generate 2,000 units daily, earning income of Rs. 2.80 lakh monthly

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today inaugurated the first 750-kilowatt solar power project at Dharamshala in Kangra district, built at a cost of Rs. 4.74 crore. Spanning in 8,500 square meters of land, this project will generate approximately 2,000 units of electricity daily, yielding a monthly income of Rs. 2.80 lakh. The construction work of the project was started in October, 2023 and was completed in November 2024.

The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) has entered into an agreement to purchase electricity generated from this project. The project features 1,364 solar panels equipped with comprehensive safety measures, including lightning and fire protection, as well as an earthing and bonding system to ensure electrical safety.

The Chief Minister said that the State Government was promoting green energy and working on a comprehensive strategy to harness solar energy. He said that seven solar power projects with a combined capacity of 72 megawatts would soon be allocated. Additionally, surveys and studies are underway for eight projects with a total capacity of 325 megawatts. He said that for the first time, the government was moving towards developing 200 panchayats as “Green Panchayats” by installing 200-kilowatt ground-mounted solar plants.

Sh. Sukhu said that the 32-megawatt Pekhubela solar energy project in Una district was dedicated to the public on April 15, 2024. From April to October 2024, the project generated 34.19 million units of electricity in six and a half months, earning Rs. 10.16 crore. Additionally, the 5-megawatt solar energy project in Bhanjal (Una) was commissioned on November 30, 2024, while the construction of the 10-megawatt Aghlaur solar energy project is expected to be completed shortly.

The Chief Minister stated that the present State Government was striving to make Himachal Pradesh the first ‘Green Energy State’ in the country by 2026 to ensure environmental preservation. Harnessing green energy would help in reducing carbon emissions and play a significant role in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change, he added.

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Children of the State say “Thank You CM Sir,” CM Sukhu responds, “Main Hoon Na”
Returning from their first-ever air journey and a memorable stay in three-star hotels, 22 Children of the State met Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu at his official residence, Oak Over in Shimla today. The children who recently completed a 13-day educational and recreational tour, shared their experiences and expressed gratitude for these unforgettable moments.

Interacting with the children, the Chief Minister inquired about their experiences during the trip. Nancy, a Class 12 student, described her excitement during the air travel, saying, “It was thrilling to experience everything from the airport arrangements to the air journey. We also visited historic monuments that brought centuries of India’s rich history to life.”

Kashish shared her fascination with the exhibits at the Science Museum in Delhi and her joy during the fantasy rides. Meanwhile, Dharmendra recalled the group’s fun-filled moments at Goa’s beaches, where they danced and enjoyed to their hearts’ content. He added, “We learned the importance of discipline while traveling in a group and how to plan for air travel.”

All the children acknowledged the Chief Minister’s care and vision, saying, “If it weren’t for CM Sir, we would have remained mere objects of sympathy. But his initiative has given us the status of Children of the State, for which we are forever grateful.”

Chief Minister Sukhu humbly responded, stating, “This is not a favour. It is your right to benefit from the state’s resources. Through the Mukhyamantri Sukhashray Yojana, the state government has enacted laws to ensure that orphaned children are taken care of as Children of the State. The Government will act as their guardian, providing support for their upbringing, education, and self-reliance.”

He emphasized, “Just as parents take their children on trips, the Himachal Pradesh government is committed to offering similar experiences to the Children of the State. These trips are designed to provide learning and exposure that will help them contribute to society and the Nation in the future.”

This group of Children of the State, the first from Shimla district, visited Pinjore, Chandigarh, Delhi and Goa during their journey. They traveled by India’s premier Shatabdi Express train, stayed in three-star hotels, and explored numerous historical sites. Their journey commenced on January 2, flagged off by the Chief Minister himself, and concluded on January 14, when they returned to Shimla.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil, MLA Sanjay Awasthi, Mayor MC Shimla Surinder Chauhan, Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap and several other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

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CM attends inauguration ceremony of Congress Headquarters at New Delhi
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu attended the inauguration ceremony of new Congress headquarters "Indira Bhawan" at New Delhi today.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and CPP Chairperson Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the new AICC headquarters located at 9A Kotla road.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress General Secretaries Priyanka Gandhi and K C Venugopal, other senior Congress leaders, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri were present on the occasion.

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Expedite purchase process of 327 e-buses : Chief Minister
Chairs HRTC's review meeting

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while chairing a review meeting of Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) here today, directed the officers to expedite the purchase process of 327 e-buses. He asked to complete all the formalities related to the process in a time-bound manner. He said that 100 Metadoor mini buses would also be purchased to provide better facilities in remote rural areas. The availability of these buses would also ensure further improvement in the fiscal health and services of the HRTC.

The Chief Minister also gave instructions to take measures to make the HRTC self-reliant. He said that due to the dedicated services of its employees, the financial condition of the corporation was improving. He added that in the last few months the income of the corporation has also witness a substantial increase.

He said that the use of new technology was being ensured to make the corporation profitable and efficient. The HRTC has also started cashless payment option in its buses, making Himachal Pradesh the first state to provide such facility.

The Chief Minister also reviewed the performance, income and expenditure of the corporation at the divisional and regional level, and gave necessary guidelines to the officers.

Advisor to the Chief Minister on Infrastructure Anil Kapil, Additional Chief Secretary R.D. Nazim, the Chief Minister's Secretary Rakesh Kanwar, Managing Director of the HRTC Rohan Chand Thakur, the Chief Minister's OSD to Gopal Sharma and other senior officers were present in the meeting.

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Effective steps taken to ensure financial discipline: Chief Minister
Reviews various works of Finance Department

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while chairing the review meeting of the Finance Department here today, said that the state government was ensuring ideal financial management. He said that the state government has taken effective steps towards financial discipline during its two-year tenure.

All government departments have been given clear directions that after budget allocation for any work or project, the stipulated period for its completion should be strictly followed.

The government was committed to the welfare of every section of the society by making optimum and balanced use of the resources of the state. For this, special attention was being given to financial management, he said, directing to clear all the pending bills of Public Works and Jal Shakti Departments.

The Chief Minister conducted a detailed review of subjects related to e- delivery, budget, expenditure and treasury etc.

Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Principal Secretary Finance Devesh Kumar, Secretary Finance Abhishek Jain, Chief Minister's Secretary Rakesh Kanwar, Special Secretary Finance and Director Treasury and Accounts Rohit Jamwal, Chief Minister's OSD Gopal Sharma, Additional Director Deepak Bhardwaj and senior officers were present in the meeting.

In another review meeting of Energy Department, Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board, Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited and other undertakings, the Chief Minister took detailed information on various subjects related to their financial status, resources and loans, and gave necessary guidelines.

Chief Minister's Principal Advisor Ram Subhag Singh, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena and other senior officers were present in the meeting.

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State government committed to conservation of forests : Chief Minister
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu inaugurated two projects to be implemented in the state by the non-governmental organization 'Needle Leaf Foundation - The Savior' here today. Through these projects, the organization will work on a large scale to control forest fires and to prevent drug abuse among the youth.

The Chief Minister praised the efforts of the organization and said that the state government has ensured multi-dimensional measures to control forest fires and to conserve forests, using modern technology. He said that a large-scale campaign has been launched in the state to prevent the abuse of narcotics and drugs. Himachal Pradesh is coordinating with other states in order to stop drug smuggling.

He expressed hope that the efforts of the organization would strengthen the work being done by the government in this direction.

President of the organization Sunil Grover gave detailed information about the new schemes.

On this occasion, Additional Chief Secretary K.K. Pant, Principal Secretary Finance Devesh Kumar, Chief Minister's Secretary Rakesh Kanwar, Chief Minister's OSD Gopal Sharma, Needle Leaf Foundation members Dr. Anil Chauhan, Pradeep Kumar, S.N. Kapoor, Ajay Kochar, Treasurer Rajiv Sood and other dignitaries were present.

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