SHIMLA-30 August, 2026

Underground ducts for Dehra, Rs. 100 crore for Bankhandi Zoological Park: CM

· Govt. to provide DA to employees in due course

· CM distributesRs. 3,500 assistance to 800 fishermen in Dehra

· CM asks for cooperation from people in fight against corruption

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that the Congress government is committed to the welfare of employees and pensioners, while the BJP is merely indulging in politics in the name of employees and pensioners. He said that full arrears, leave encashment and gratuity had been paid to pensioners aged above 67 years. He further announced that Class-IV employees who retired between January 1, 2016 and January 31, 2022, would be provided an additional amount of Rs. 20,000 over and above their salary arrears.

The Chief Minister said that directions would be issued to remove the condition related to basic pay for Class-I, Class-II and Class-III pensioners. Following the removal of this condition, all eligible pensioners would be paid 35 percent of their pending arrears. With this payment, a total of 57 percent of the employee's arrears would stand cleared, he added.

He said that the state government would also provide Dearness Allowance (DA) to employees in due course. He said that these decisions had been made possible due to the financial prudence, fiscal discipline and responsible financial management of the state government.

Addressing a gathering at Dehra of Kangra district, the Chief Minister distributed cheques of financial assistance of Rs 3,500 each to 800 fishermen under the ‘Mukhyamantri Machhuaara Samman Nidhi’ Yojana. The assistance has been transferred directly into their bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

Sh. Sukhu said that the state government was fighting for the rights of Himachal Pradesh and taking effective measures to close the doors of corruption. Despite the discontinuation of Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG), the government was ensuring financial benefits to employees and pensioners through financial prudence and discipline. He said that all those involved in corruption would be asked to account for their illegally acquired assets. Such properties would be confiscated and distributed among the poor, he added.

Sh. Sukhu said that the state government had fought for the rights of Himachal Pradesh in the Kishau Dam project, which would generate annual revenue of around Rs. 600 crore for the state. Similarly, following the State’s victory in the JSW case in the Supreme Court, Himachal Pradesh was now earning around Rs. 150 crore annually. He said that the state government had discontinued the renewal of liquor vends adopted by the previous BJP government and decided to auction the liquor vends instead. This decision had helped generate additional revenue for the state, he added.

The Chief Minister said that when he assumed office, the present state government had inherited a debt burden of Rs 76,707 crore, besides employee liabilities of around Rs 10,000 crore. He said that after the RDG, which Himachal Pradesh was entitled to receive, was discontinued, BJP MPs and MLAs had failed to even raise the issue of its restoration with the Prime Minister. He said that the Congress government had initiated the construction of underground utility ducts in Shimla and similar work would also be undertaken in Dehra.

He said that Kangra had been declared the Tourism Capital of Himachal Pradesh and an international-level Zoological Park was being developed at Bankhandi at a cost of Rs. 619 crore. Of this, Rs. 150 crore had already been spent, while another Rs. 100 crore had been released for the project. He announced that a high-end ultrasound machine would be installed at Dehra Hospital within one year to provide better healthcare facilities to the people of the area.

The Chief Minister said that drinking water projects worth Rs. 100 crore were under implementation in the Dehra Assembly constituency. The ozone-based drinking water project would also be completed within the next year, he added. He said that the state government was ensuring that the benefits of its welfare schemes reached the people at the bottom of the social pyramid. He said that the royalty on fish had been reduced from 15 percent to one per cent. During the annual fishing ban period, fishermen were being provided financial assistance of Rs 3,500 each.

Referring to the political developments in the Dehra Assembly constituency, the Chief Minister said that when an Independent MLA represented the constituency, he had ensured development without discrimination. He said 'I never imagined that the independent MLA would later become involved in a conspiracy to topple the elected government, but the political developments eventually proved to be a turning point for Dehra.'

Sh. Sukhu said that his wife Kamlesh Thakur had never intended to enter electoral politics. However, the party high command, based on a survey, gave her the ticket and conveyed that she had a possibility of winning, although victory was not certain. He said that for the first time in history, Independent MLAs had staged a protest demanding that their resignations be accepted.

The Chief Minister said that the state government was fully aware of the problems faced by Pong Dam oustees. Earlier, even obtaining bonafide certificates had been difficult for many displaced families. He said that the state government had now provided land to 200 such displaced families for construction of houses, and other eligible displaced families would also be brought under the scheme in due course.

MLA Kamlesh Thakur said that the day was not merely about distributing financial assistance under the Mukhyamantri Machhuaara Samman Nidhi, but also about recognizing and honouring the hard work of fishing families who, despite challenging circumstances were strengthening their families and contributing to the local economy. 'The hard work of our fishermen not only increases the income of their families but also strengthens the local economy. Therefore, today’s assistance is not merely financial support, but it is a symbol of recognition and respect for your labour and contribution,' she said. Expressing gratitude to the state government for extending financial assistance to fishermen, she said the government had understood the needs and contribution of the fishing community and taken several important steps for their welfare.

She said that several major development projects were currently underway in Dehra. 'Our dream is to see Dehra emerge as one of Himachal Pradesh’s leading tourism destinations in the coming years. She said a new picture of development was emerging in Dehra, with progress in education, roads and other basic infrastructure providing visible evidence of the changing landscape of the constituency. She said more than 60 percent of the total budget allocated for Dehra had been directly allocated to Gram Panchayats so that development works related to village roads, pathways and local drinking water schemes could be undertaken without hindrance.

Deputy Chairman State Planning Board Bhawani Singh Pathania, MLA Sanjay Rattan, Former Minister and Chairman HP State SC Commission Kuldeep Kumar Dhiman, Former MLA Yograj, Chairman, Vice Chairman of various Boards and Corporation, Secretary Priyanka Basu Ingty, DC Hemraj Bairwa, SP Sandeep Dhawal and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.