• Strengthens education with global exposure and innovative schemes

SHIMLA, 18.05.25-The present state government has embarked on an ambitious journey to redefine education by blending inclusivity, academic excellence and structural reforms. At the core of its vision lies a determination to ensure that every child regardless of socio-economic status has access to quality education and the opportunity to realize and shape their future prospective.

Over the past two and half years, the government has made exceptional strides in widening the reach of its scholarship programmes. More than 87,000 students have been supported through various scholarship schemes, with financial assistance around Rs. 92 crore being disbursed within two years. These schemes serve as powerful instruments of social justice, enabling thousands of students from marginalized communities such as Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and economically weaker sections to pursue uninterrupted education. Under State schemes alone thousands of students were benefitted with scholarships. The Mukhya Mantri scholarship scheme has played a key role in promoting higher education and competitive exam coaching. Students of Sainik School Sujanpur Tihra and those enrolled in prestigious institutions such as RIMC have also received targeted support. The Post-Matric Scholarship for SC students has emerged as the flagship, benefiting over 22,500 students with an allocation of Rs. 4,049.70 lakh. Furthermore, scholarships for students with disabilities have ensured that no section of the society is overlooked in this march towards equity.

However, financial support is just one facet of the broader educational renaissance the state is witnessing. The reforms in the education sector done by the state reforms have yielded tangible results. Himachal Pradesh catapulted from 21st to 1^st position in the national rankings for reading and learning levels, as per the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) released in January 2025. The report placed Himachal’s students at the top nationwide for reading skills. Parallel surveys within the state also reflect notable improvements in learning outcomes testament to the government’s focused delivery. Recently the State has received national acclaim for its exemplary implementation of the PM SHRI scheme, placing Himachal Pradesh at the forefront among all states. The timely utilization of 100 percent funds and transformation of schools like PM SHRI Tutu into role models reflects the strong commitment of the state government towards quality education.

In a series of innovative steps, the State Government has fulfilled its promise of introducing English-medium education from Class 1^st strengthening its commitment towards quality education. The establishment of Rajiv Gandhi Day-Boarding Schools in every Assembly constituency is underway, aiming to provide world-class infrastructure and a holistic learning environment to the children. To ensure that financial constraints do not hinder the academic aspirations, the government launched the Dr. Y.S. Parmar Vidyarthi Rin Yojna under which loans of up to Rs. 20 lakh at just one percent interest is being provided to bona fide Himachali students from economically weaker sections. Recognizing the dreams of students seeking global exposure, this scheme has now been expanded to cover overseas education as well. Not only this Mukhyamantri Sukh Shiksha Yojna has been introduced to support the education and well-being of children of widowed, destitute and divorced women, as well as those with disabled parents.

In its effort to raise teaching standards, the government has facilitated exposure visits for meritorious students and teachers to Singapore, Cambodia and educationally advanced Indian states like Kerala. Even the Central Government has acknowledged the merit of these initiatives, a rare bipartisan recognition.

Adding further momentum, the Himachal Pradesh Government has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UNESCO to improve the overall quality of education. This collaboration aims to modernize curricula and pedagogy, strengthen assessments and nurture 21st-century skills among students.

Through a holistic blend of policy, investment, innovation and inclusion, the state government has demonstrated what committed governance can achieve. From scholarships that fund dreams to infrastructure that inspires learning, the state is making education a right, not a privilege. And in doing so, it is laying the foundation for a just, enlightened and prosperous future of students of the state.

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Larji Power Project restored and fully operational once again

SHIMLA-18^th May, 2025The 126 MW Larji Hydroelectric Power Project in Kullu district has been fully restored and is operational once again, which suffered extensive damage by the devastating Beas River floods on 9^th and 10^th July 2023. The project’s swift revival, completed in less than two years, was made possible through the timely intervention and strong support of the State Government, helping avert major financial losses.

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the State Government allocated Rs. 25 crore initially for restoration, followed by Rs. 35 crore and subsequently Rs. 185.87 crore for the complete rehabilitation of the project. The Chief Minister commended the engineers and staff of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) for their tireless efforts and commitment to restore the project.

Thanks to their dedication, Unit I of the Larji Power Project was restarted on 15 January 2024 and synchronized with the power grid on 2 May 2024. Unit II followed on 9 August 2024 and Unit III was restored on 17 January 2025. With all three turbines now operational, the project has fully resumed power generation.

The flood had caused heavy deposition of muck deep inside the turbine units, rendering them inoperable for several months. Since mechanical removal was not feasible, the debris was painstakingly cleared by manual effort. To safeguard the project from future natural calamities, several preventive measures have been implemented. Slope stabilization work, including the installation of cable nets and rockfall barriers, has been completed near the surge shaft gates and is underway at the powerhouse entrance to mitigate risks from landslides and falling debris.

Additionally, a Hinged Gate has been installed at the Main Access Tunnel (MAT) to prevent water ingress during high floods. A similar gate is being constructed at the Emergency Exit Tunnel (EET), with supporting civil works to ensure a secure, watertight system.

In the year 1953, a significant flood occurred at the Larji Hydro Electric Project on the Beas River, which was a historical high flood. This flood, recorded on August 3, 1953, had a discharge of 3838.37 cumecs, whereas the flood occurred in the year 2023, with a discharge of 5600 cumecs, significantly exceeded the 1953 flood.