Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu called on Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav at New Delhi today.

Chief Minister requested for a separate and full-fledged Integrated Regional Office of the Ministry at Shimla and not to limit the same to sub-office so as to grant speedy forest clearances for projects of national importance like four Laning, strategic defence infrastructure etc.

Chief Minister apprised the Union Minister that State government is going to construct Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding Schools in the state with the campus area of approx five hectares and requested for limit of diversion of forest land under Forest Conservation Act,1980 for construction of schools in hilly areas may be relaxed and may be enhanced. upto 6 hectares  in case of Eklavya Model Residential Schools. (EMRS) and 5 hectares in case of Day Boarding Schools.

He also requested that state government may be empowered to approve diversion of forest land under FCA 1980 for non forestry purpose upto 5 hectare.

Chief Minister apprised that state government has decided to construct heliports in all the districts of the state and the proposals are still pending with the Ministry and requested for speedy approvals on priority basis.

The Union Minister assured of all possible assistance to state.

Sundar Singh Thakur CPS, Suresh Kumar, MLA, Sunil Sharma Political Advisor to CM, Prabodh Saxena Chief Secretary, Bharat Khera Principal Secretary to CM, SK Singla Principal Resident Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests were also present in the meeting.

   Justice Mamidanna Satya Ratna Sri Ramachandra Rao was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court here today. He was administered the oath of office by Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla at Raj Bhawan. Chief Minister, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was also present on the occasion.

Chief Secretary, Prabodh Saxena conducted the proceedings of the oath ceremony and read out the Warrant of Appointment issued by the President of India.

Lady Governor, Janaki Shukla, Speaker Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Industry Minister, Harshwardhan Chauhan, Leader of Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur, Judges of Himachal Pradesh High Court, Judges of Punjab & Haryana High Court and Judges of Telangana High Court, Advocate General, Anup Kumar Rattan, Director General of Police, Sanjay Kundu, Chairman HP State Human Rights Commission, Justice P.S. Rana, Lokayukta, Justice Chander Bhushan Barowalia (retd.), Mayor Municipal Corporation Shimla, Surender Chauhan, Chief Information Commissioner, R.D. Dhiman, Chairman Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission,  Capt. Rameshwar Singh Thakur, Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of various boards and corporations, senior officers of the state government, family members of Chief Justice of HP High Court and other prominent people were also present on the occasion.

Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao was born on 07 August, 1966 in Hyderabad. He did his B.Sc. (Hons.) in Mathematics from Bhavans New Science College, Osmania and  LL.B. from University College of Law, Osmania University Hyderabad in 1989.

He was enrolled as an Advocate in September, 1989. Later he secured LL.M. from the University of Cambridge U.K. in 1991 and was awarded the Cambridge Common Wealth Scholarship and the Bank of Credit and Commerce International Scholarship for study of the LL.M. course at the Cambridge University, U.K. He was also awarded the Pegasus Scholarship by the Scholarship Trust, London.

Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao was elevated as Judge of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh in June, 2012 and was appointed to perform the duties of the office of the Chief Justice for the State of Telangana from 31 August, 2021. He remained Judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court as well.

 His father Mr. Justice M. Jagannadha Rao was a former Judge of The Supreme Court (1997-2000) and former Chairman of Law Commission of India. His grandfather was also a Judge of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh from 1960-1961.

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        Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu who called on Union Minister for Power R. K. Singh at New Delhi today detailed him that the 99 years lease period of Shanan Project was expiring in March 2024 as per the lease agreement and asked for issuing necessary directions to the Punjab Government for taking mandatory steps for handing over the project to the State before the expiry of the lease period.  

He also apprised the Union Minister about the facts regarding the share of the state in Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and demanded for 12 percent water royalty for the state. He said that due to the construction of projects by BBMB, many townships were compelled to face rehabilitation and numbers of oustees were not yet compensated even after fifty years.

 He urged that state government may be allowed to impose free power royalty in all commissioned projects of BBMB. He said that this was the long pending demand of the state. 

He also raised the issue of raising the royalty of state in SJVNL, he said that free power royalty share being received from SJVNL projects which have completed debt period of 12 years, may be enhanced from existing free power royalty share ranging from 12 to 30 percent.

Chief Minister also apprised the Minister about the initiatives of the state being taken for becoming Green Energy State and urged to provide incentives including tax benefits for green hydrogen production to boost production of green energy in the state.

The Union Minister assured of all possible support to the state.

Ram Subhag Singh, Chairman HP State Electricity Board Limited, Prabodh Saxena, Chief Secretary, Bharat Khera, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and Vivek Bhatia, Principal Private Secretary to CM were also present in the meeting.

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         CM addresses 'Purani Pension Aabhar Rally' at Dharmshala

Chief Minister, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu addressed a massive gathering during the 'Purani Pension Aabhar Rally' held in Dharamshala. He announced that the present state government is providing the benefits of the old pension scheme to approximately 1.50 lakh employees. In addition to the employees of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited, the employees of the Corporations will also be included under the old pension scheme. However, the employees are required to cooperate with the state government to retrieve the NPS (National Pension System) funds currently held by the Union government. The Chief Minister urged employees to be prepared for the upcoming battle.

The Chief Minister emphasized his understanding of the employees' struggles, being the son of a government employee himself. He stated that the restoration of the old pension was prioritized in the first cabinet meeting after the formation of the new government, in order to preserve the employees' self-respect. He acknowledged the immense contribution of the state's employees to its development and expressed the government's high appreciation for their efforts.

Despite financial challenges, the Chief Minister assured that the state government is committed to providing the benefits of the old pension to its employees. He said that in a recent NITI Aayog meeting, he demanded the return of the NPS funds amounting to Rs. 9,242.60 crore. This matter will be taken up with the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the state government will fight for its rights with the cooperation of the employees.

He said that when the Congress government took office on December 11, 2022, they were informed by officers that there was no money left to meet the state's expenses. Consequently, the government is operating with financial discipline and striving for self-reliance rather than relying on debt. The Chief Minister asserted that the government is working tirelessly to revitalize the state's economy and plans to accomplish this within the next four years. The first budget of the state government is a crucial step in this direction, focusing on increasing the state's economic resources. Initiatives such as the imposition of water cess and expedited construction of power projects are being undertaken by the government.

The Chief Minister urged employees to accelerate the pace of the work as delayed projects have been detrimental to the progress of Himachal Pradesh. He expressed the government's commitment to cease purchasing power from other states within the next two years. Furthermore, the budget includes various environment friendly initiatives, including the promotion of green hydrogen and the encouragement of e-vehicles. The conversion of all diesel buses operated by HRTC into e-buses is planned to be completed within three years, he said.

Highlighting the government's welfare efforts, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that 6,000 orphaned children have been adopted as 'Children of the State'. The state government would bear the expenses of their education, care, pocket money, and provides them with one annual air travel. Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to grant legal rights to orphans. Financial assistance of Rs. 1.50 lakh is being provided to widows and single women for house construction. The budget includes provisions of a monthly pension of Rs. 1,500 to 2.31 lakh women above the age of 18 and the benefit would be extended to women in the Spiti Valley region in the second phase, he said.

In his address, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri praised the employees of Himachal Pradesh for their significant contribution to the state's development. He said that the state government has decided to restore the old pension, highlighting the Congress party's commitment to supporting the employees. Agnihotri emphasized that despite inheriting a substantial debt of Rs. 76000 crore, the present government has prioritized the restoration of the old pension. He credited senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi for her promise to implement the old pension scheme wherever the Congress government comes into power. As a result, Karnataka has also followed suit and restored the old pension, influenced by the positive developments in Himachal.

Agnihotri took a jibe at the Leader of the Opposition, stating, "Aata Nahi, Gujra Hua Zamana,". He accused BJP leaders of attempting to reduce financial aid to the state from the union government. However, the government remains resolute in its commitment to providing the old pension to the employees, regardless of any obstacles faced.

Pradeep Thakur, the State President of the NPSEA (National Pension Scheme Employees Association), expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for restoring the old pension. Thakur commended the Chief Minister for making a historic decision in the very first cabinet meeting to fulfill the long-standing demand of the employees. The NPSEA welcomed Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu by showering him with approximately 15 quintals of flowers and celebrating his arrival with fireworks and crackers. They also presented a cheque of Rs. 31 lakh towards the Chief Minister's Sukh Aashray Kosh. Furthermore, a cheque of Rs. 31,000 was presented by Santosh Katoch to support the Chief Minister's Sukh Aashray Kosh.

During the event, the Chief Minister paid his obeisance at the Hanuman Temple in Police Line Dharamshala before proceeding to the meeting venue in a grand procession.

Chief Minister honoured 102 year old Sansar Chand and his wife, symbolizing respect for the elderly.

Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dhani Ram Shandil, Agriculture Minister Chaudhary Chander Kumar, Industries Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan, Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation Chairman RS Bali, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries Kishori Lal, Ashish Butail, Chaudhary Ram Kumar, Mohan Lal Brakta, MLAs, Principal Advisor to Chief Minister (IT & Innovations) Gokul Butail, OSD to Chief Minister Ritesh Kapret, Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of various Boards and Corporations, NPSEA National President Vijay Kumar Bandhu, Haryana NPSEA President Vijender Dhaliwal, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Nipun Jindal, and other dignitaries were present on the occasion amongst others.

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 Urged centre to return NPS amount to the State Government

Advocated for Central funding for the strategic Bhanupali-Bilaspur-Leh rail line

Chief Minister, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu attended the 8th Governing Council meeting of NITI AAYOG at New Delhi today. The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Discussions were held on infrastructure and investments, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), minimizing compliances, women empowerment, health and nutrition, skill development, Gati Shakti for area development and social infrastructure, viksitbharat@2047.

While raising the issues of the State, Chief Minister urged the Centre for issuing directions to Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) to return the amount of Rs 9,242.60 crore deposited under New Pension Scheme (NPS) by the State Government. He urged not to reduce the previous year's deposit of Rs 1,779 crore under NPS than the borrowing ceiling of the current financial year i.e. 2023-24 and also to review the decision taken on 27th March, 2023.

Chief Minister also urged for removing the limit of receiving external aid for next three years on the State and sought the intervention of Centre Government for speedy approval of proposals submitted to Department of Economic Affairs. He also urged for 100 percent central funding for the strategic Bhanupali-Bilaspur-Leh railway line and considering the land acquisition cost as State’s contribution.

He also requested for including ropeway projects under 'Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojna' besides demanding special financial assistance for completing the construction of medical colleges in the State. He also requested for providing the option of CAPEX model (Capital expenditure) along-with OPEX model (Operational expenditure) under the financial assistance provided by the Government of India for purchasing e-buses.

Apprising about the vision and initiatives of the State Government, the Chief Minister informed that State Government was keen on developing Himachal Pradesh as the 'Green Energy State' and added that tourism development was being undertaken under the concept of Green Himachal in order to protect and preserve the environment. Efforts are afoot for reducing carbon footprints and most of the diesel buses of HRTC will be replaced with e-buses in coming years, he said.

An elaborate plan is being made for promoting Green Hydrogen, he said. A Rs. 2000 crore World Bank aided project 'Himachal Pradesh Power Sector Development Programme' will be launched soon after holding the final round of discussions with World Bank, he added.       He further said that an endeavour to create

40,000 direct and 50,000 indirect employment opportunities would be made besides making efforts to attract an investment of about twenty thousand crore during the current financial year in various sectors.

Chief Minister informed that Mukhyamantri Sukh-Ashray Yojna has been started in the state for destitute and orphan children and State Government will undertake their welfare and has adopted them as the 'Children of the State'. He said that Rs 101 crore Mukhyamantri Sukh Ashray Kosh has been set up for the same.

He sought the support of the Centre Government and NITI Aayog for fulfilling the dream of present government for making Himachal Pradesh most developed and prosperous State of the country.

Chief Secretary, Prabodh Saxena also accompanied the Chief Minister.

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 Chief Minister, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu dedicated various developmental projects worth Rs. 20.59 crore to the people of Dehra assembly constituency today. The Chief Minister inaugurated new bus stand at Haripur constructed at a cost of Rs. 3.66 crore, Galua to Mehwa Panchayat Ghar to Tatan link road constructed at a cost of Rs. 3.94 crore and strengthening of Guler-Danger link road at a cost of Rs.1.44 crore. Furthermore, he also laid the foundation stone for the construction of Dhar to Danger via Lunsu road to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 6.50 crore and Pir Bar Satsang Ghar to Radha Swami Satsang Ghar via Paniali road to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 5.05 crore.

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