Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, October 1
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday said that a new Chief Secretary would be appointed soon. On the recent suicide of a 12-year-old boy in Rohru, Sukhu said the Himachal Pradesh State Commission had taken cognisance of the matter and summoned the family to establish the facts, the Chief Minister said.
He was addressing reporters in Shimla during state-level events marking the International Day of Older Persons. Sukhu said the government’s priority remained social welfare, particularly for vulnerable groups such as orphaned children, single women and the elderly. “Caring for the elderly and respecting them is the duty of the government,” he said.
The Chief Minister added that major reforms were being introduced in the health sector. A budget of ₹3,000 crore has been allocated to upgrade facilities and bring advanced technology to the state. He said Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla would be developed on the lines of AIIMS, Delhi, while efforts were under way to gradually address staff shortages in hospitals.
The International Day of Older Persons was marked at Shimla’s Ridge Maidan with a cycle rally, an exhibition by self-help groups and a state-level programme organised by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment. Discussions at the event highlighted the growing elderly population and the social and economic challenges they face.
