SHIMLA, 11.11.26-Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan today said that a government's claims of achievements undergoes test during elections and by-elections, when people exercising their voting right forms a welfare-oriented government or further strengthens the existing government.

He said that the people of Himachal Pradesh had endorsed the functioning, policies and guarantees of the Congress party in the 2022 Assembly elections, when a popular government led by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was formed with a massive mandate.

He said that the people of Himachal Pradesh had once again endorsed the government's achievements, fulfilment of its guarantees, successful implementation of public welfare schemes and commitment to the overall development of all sections of society during the by-elections.

"The BJP's humiliating defeat in the by-elections is a clear example that the people of Himachal Pradesh will never allow attempts to undermine the dignity of the Constitution, topple an elected government through political conspiracies or crush people's mandate through use of money power," he stated.

Highlighting the state government's achievements over the past four years, he said that immediately after assuming office, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu demonstrated the government's sensitivity towards vulnerable sections of society by laying the foundation of the Mukhya Mantri Sukh-Aashray Yojana.

Under this scheme, approximately 6,000 orphaned and destitute children of the state have been adopted as 'Children of the State'. These children are now benefiting from free education, pocket money, festival allowances, exposure visits across the country, financial assistance to establish start-ups, land and financial support for house construction, along with several other facilities and provisions under the scheme.

He said that in its very first Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister restored the Old Pension Scheme for 1.36 lakh state government employees, thereby ensuring the financial security and future of employees and their families.

The government has also launched the Rajiv Gandhi Start-up Yojana with an outlay of Rs. 680 crore. Under this scheme, farmers are being provided a historic Minimum Support Price (MSP) for naturally grown crops. Similarly, MSP has also been fixed for the procurement of cow and buffalo milk, which are among the highest in the country. The scheme also provides subsidies for installing solar power plants on private land and purchasing electric vehicles. These initiatives have opened new avenues for self-employment and self-reliance for thousands of youth in the state.

The Industries Minister said that keeping in view the difficulties faced by people, particularly those living in remote areas, in resolving revenue-related matters, the state government introduced special Revenue Lok Adalats to provide relief to the common people. Through these special courts, specific timelines have been prescribed for resolving various revenue-related matters, including mutation, demarcation, partition and correction of revenue records. So far, more than seven lakh cases have been resolved, bringing relief to people closer to their doorsteps.

Harshwardhan Chauhan said that the state government has also made significant achievements in the fields of education and healthcare. English-medium education has been introduced from Class I in all government schools to build children's confidence and prepare them to compete at the global level. The government has begun 150 CBSE-affiliated schools to provide students with quality education on par with reputed private schools. The growing interest among students and parents in CBSE schools is reflected in approximately 24,000 new admissions recorded in the current academic session, demonstrating the widespread acceptance of this initiative. The government plans to open 100 additional CBSE schools from the next academic session.

He said that the Rajiv Gandhi Model Government Day-Boarding Schools were also emerging as an effective means of providing modern education. These initiatives have contributed to Himachal Pradesh securing top positions at the national level across various educational parameters.

He further said that more than Rs. 3,000 crore were being spent on modernisation, strengthening infrastructure and procuring advanced equipment in the healthcare sector. The state government was replacing 18 to 20 years old medical equipment with state-of-the-art technology.

For the first time in the history of Himachal Pradesh, robotic surgery facilities have been introduced, and these services are currently available at four major healthcare institutions. More than 1,000 surgeries have already been successfully performed using robotic facilities in the state. One Model Health Institution was being established in each Assembly constituency, while two such institutions each were being set up in Lahaul-Spiti and Chamba.

He said that the state's medical institutions were also being equipped with advanced healthcare facilities and infrastructure, including PET Scan and SPECT Scan machines, advanced radiotherapy facilities for cancer patients, CT Simulator machines and 3-Tesla MRI machines. These initiatives were aimed at establishing and strengthening state-of-the-art healthcare infrastructure across Himachal Pradesh.

Harshwardhan Chauhan said that Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has taken several effective steps to safeguard the interests of the state and strengthen its economy.

He said that the state government had vigorously pursued the legal battle concerning the Karcham-Wangtoo Hydroelectric Project before the Supreme Court, resulting in a favourable verdict for Himachal Pradesh. Consequently, the state's royalty share has increased from 12 per cent to 18 per cent, and the state was expected to earn approximately Rs. 150 crore in additional annual revenue.

The state government also strongly pursued the issues concerning outstanding dues from the Bhakra Bandh Management Board (BBMB) and Wildflower Hall, resulting in favourable judicial decisions for Himachal Pradesh. Similarly, regarding the Kishau Dam Project, the Chief Minister adopted a clear stand that only the states benefiting from the project would bear their respective shares of its construction cost, and Himachal Pradesh would not be burdened with unnecessary expenditure. These decisions are expected to generate thousands of crores of rupees in additional annual revenue for Himachal Pradesh.

The Chief Minister was also vigorously pursuing all matters concerning the state's interests, including Himachal Pradesh's legitimate entitlement to a 7.19 per cent share in the land and assets of Chandigarh.

The Chief Minister firmly believes that the rights of Himachal Pradesh will not be compromised under any circumstances. Even if the central government withholds financial assistance to Himachal Pradesh in an attempt to pressure the state into accepting agreements contrary to its interests, Himachal Pradesh will not bow down. Instead, the state will generate its own resources and script a new chapter of development through its own efforts, he concluded.