Yograj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, December 12
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said his government had steered the state through three difficult years marked by financial strain, political turbulence and severe natural disasters. Addressing the Jan Sankalp Sammelan at Paddal Ground in Mandi, Sukhu accused the previous BJP administration of leaving the state with a debt of ₹75,000 crore, which he described as the result of “extravagance and financial mismanagement”. He said his government had been forced to borrow simply to service liabilities, including ₹10,000 crore in unpaid employee arrears.
Sukhu criticised what he said were questionable land deals under the former government, claiming that 4,500 bighas were sold for just ₹1.12 crore without proper registry. He said his administration was committed to protecting state resources and would not allow Himachal’s rights to be “plundered”. The Chief Minister pointed to several legal and policy wins, including a favourable judgment in the Wildflower Hall case, which he said would secure an annual income of ₹20 crore for the state. Royalty from the Karchham–Wangtoo hydropower project had been increased from 12% to 18%, generating an additional ₹150 crore annually, he added.
He said the state’s excise reforms had yielded ₹450 crore in a single year—an amount he claimed the previous government earned over four years through liquor-vend renewals. Responding to what he called “personal and misleading attacks” by the BJP, including criticism of his use of a small Alto car, Sukhu said his government’s work would earn it a “52-seater Volvo” mandate in the 2027 elections. He asserted that Himachal Pradesh would become self-reliant by then.
Sukhu said welfare remained at the core of his administration’s agenda. Shortly after taking office, the government enacted the Mukhyamantri Sukh-Ashray Yojana, under which orphaned children were legally recognised as “children of the state”. He also highlighted support extended to families affected by recent natural disasters.
He defended the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), calling it a step to ensure social security rather than a political manoeuvre. The Congress, he said, had a legacy of sacrifice, recalling the assassinations of two former prime ministers. Urging public cooperation, Sukhu said Himachal could become self-reliant within two years. “Together, we will transform the destiny and the image of the state,” he said.
