Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, November 6
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday said the state government is fully prepared to hold panchayat elections on schedule, dismissing speculation about any delay. Speaking to reporters in Shimla, Sukhu said the government will extend full cooperation to the State Election Commission. He, however, pointed out that the Disaster Management Act is currently in force across the state following recent natural calamities, and the administration’s priority is to ensure timely relief to disaster-affected families.
“The government’s first duty is to reach out to affected families. Elections will be held as soon as all village roads are restored,” Sukhu said. The Chief Minister announced that a relief programme will be organised in Mandi on November 10, where affected families will receive financial assistance to rebuild their homes. Under the scheme, each family will receive ₹4 lakh as the first instalment and ₹7 lakh in total for house reconstruction.
Addressing questions on the long-pending reconstitution of the state Congress organisation, Sukhu said the process would be completed soon. “Within the next few days, the entire procedure will be finalised, and the new Congress organisation will be formed,” he said.
Sukhu also responded sharply to BJP leaders claiming credit for the ₹1,422-crore JICA-funded health infrastructure project, saying such claims were misleading. “Himachal holds a 28% share in the JICA project. If the BJP believes this is a central project, let Jai Ram Thakur show the approval letter. During his tenure, he achieved nothing of this scale,” Sukhu said.
On allegations against BJP legislator Hans Raj, the Chief Minister said the matter would be investigated thoroughly. He added that the complainant had previously withdrawn her complaint, but the police would examine all aspects before reaching a conclusion.
