Assam ready for change, Congress set to form Government: CM

• Launches massive campaign in Assam, Seeks votes for Congress candidates

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today campaigned extensively at several places in Assam in support of the Indian National Congress. He sought votes for Congress candidates in the Jaleswar and Senga Assembly constituencies and appealed to the people to ensure the party’s victory. He said that the people of the state were in the mood for change and were frustrated with the anti-people policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government over the past ten years.

The Chief Minister said that corruption had reached its peak during the BJP rule and that the state’s resources were misused. He assured that if Congress forms the government, all corruption cases would be investigated and strict action would be taken against those found guilty. He further said that Assam has lagged behind in the race for development under the BJP regime and that the state’s economy has also been adversely affected.

Raising the issue of the suspicious death of singer Zubeen Garg, he said that the people of Assam were not satisfied with the action taken so far. He assured that if Congress comes to power, justice in this case would be ensured within 100 days.

He said that the Congress party works in the national interest, whereas the BJP practices politics based on religion and caste. Referring to the party’s manifesto, he announced that every woman starting her own business in Assam would be provided an initial financial assistance of Rs. 50,000. He also announced that senior citizens would receive a monthly pension of Rs. 1,250 through a dedicated department. Additionally, every family would be provided cashless healthcare treatment of up to Rs. 25 lakh.

He said that the Congress party was working with unwavering dedication and commitment to fulfill every promise made to the people of Assam. He also assured that in the future, the party would continue to make every possible effort to ensure the state’s overall development.

HPBOCWWB approves Rs. 211.47 Crore budget for welfare of workers in state

Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Welfare Board, Nardev Singh Kanwar, today presided over the 54th Board of Directors meeting of the Board. Several decisions aimed at strengthening welfare measures for construction workers across the state were taken during the meeting.

The Chairman said that an annual budget of Rs. 211.47 crore for the financial year 2025-26 was approved, with a significant allocation of Rs. 105 crore earmarked under various social welfare schemes for the well-being of registered beneficiaries. Stressing the importance of skill development and sustainable livelihoods, Sh. Kanwar added that the Board has approved five crore rupees for skill training programmes for registered beneficiaries and their dependents to enhance employability and create better job opportunities.

He further said that, to ensure greater awareness among workers, the Board has approved funding for Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) initiatives to effectively disseminate information about welfare schemes and entitlements. The Board also approved the shifting of its headquarters from the Old SDM Office to the under-construction building at the New Bus Stand in Hamirpur.

Additionally, the Board approved the engagement of 100 “Shramik Mitra” on an outsourced basis to strengthen outreach and facilitation services for workers. It was also decided to link all eligible beneficiaries of the Board with the HIMCARE health scheme to ensure access to quality healthcare services. He further said that the Board has approved the integration of various pension schemes, including Old Age Pension, Widow Pension, Disability Pension and the Girl Childbirth Scheme, with ESOMSA for improved implementation and transparency.

Nardev Singh Kanwar also stressed the need to expedite e-KYC, physical verification and the timely disposal of claims of registered workers.

Secretary-cum-CEO HPBOCWWB, Rajiv Kumar along with other official and non-official members of the Board were present at the meeting.

State Govt. signs MoU with alliance air to operate Delhi-Shimla-Dharamshala flights

Director, Tourism & Civil Aviation Vivek Bhatia today here said that Government of Himachal Pradesh has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with M/s Alliance Air Ltd. to operate daily scheduled flights on the Delhi-Shimla and Shimla–Dharamshala routes, seven days a week. He said that the move was aimed at boosting tourism and strengthening regional air connectivity, creating a direct air link between the national capital, the state capital and Dharamshala.

He said that the services would be operated using an ATR 42-600 aircraft with 48 seats. The commercial operations were likely to start in the last week of April 2026. He said that both routes would be operated on 100 percent Viability Gap Funding (VGF), with the entire cost borne by the state government as Grant-in-Aid to Alliance Air. Total annual VGF outgo was pegged at Rs. 32.64 crore based on actual billing. The MoU is valid for 12 months from the date of commencement of operations.

Vivek Bhatia further said that this MoU would create a direct air link between the National Capital and Shimla, while also connecting Shimla with Dharamshala intra-state and is a significant step for tourism and accessibility in the state.