CM strengthens grassroots connection with villagers through 'Sarkar Gaon Ke Dwar' initiative at Sharchi in Banjar area

Directs PWD to widen and upgrade the Nagladi–Sharchi road

SHIMLA-29^th May, 2025-As part of the ambitious 'Sarkar Gaon Ke Dwar' initiative of the state government, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu visited the picturesque Sharchi village of Banjar constituency of Kullu district Wednesday evening. The villagers brimming with excitement extended a heartfelt and traditional welcome to the Chief Minister. The enthusiasm and hospitality of the villagers radiated their warmth and affection to see the Chief Minister at their doorstep reinforcing his commitment to connecting with the people at the grassroots level.

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stayed overnight at the residence of retired Subedar Anoop Ram in Sharchi village.

During the visit, the Chief Minister interacted with villagers, right from children to the elderly and women. The villagers seized the opportunity to inform the Chief Minister about the day to day challenges they face. The Chief Minister gave on-the-spot directions to officers to ensure timely resolution of the issues raised by the people of the area.

Conversing in the local dialect with the villagers, the Chief Minister assured the villagers that adequate budgetary provisions would be made to fulfill their demands. He directed the Public Works Department to widen and upgrade the Nagladi–Sharchi road. He further mentioned that proper drainage would be constructed alongside the road and paver blocks, where necessary, would be constructed to ensure long-term maintenance.

Additionally, the Chief Minister announced a grant of one lakh rupees each to five women’s self-help groups from the Sharchi Gram Panchayat. On Thursday morning, he had breakfast with villagers and listened to their concerns.

He informed the villagers about the schemes and initiatives started by the present state Government. He also briefed about the special revenue Lok Adalats being organised at the tehsil and sub-tehsil levels aimed to resolve long-pending revenue cases in a time-bound manner.

“It brings me great joy to be among you,” the Chief Minister said. “Since the formation of this government, I have made it a priority to personally visit remote areas and understand people’s problems in order to resolve them. Sharchi is the last village in the Banjar area, surrounded by scenic mountains and forests. I have already visited Dodra Kwar, Kupvi, and Pangi as part of this program and spent valuable time with the people there. My cabinet colleagues are also visiting different areas to address public issues.”

Retired Subedar Anoop Ram expressed his gratitude, saying, “This is the first time any Chief Minister has visited our remote village. We hope this visit will accelerate development here. I feel honored that he chose my home to stay.”

His son Naresh added, “Sharchi is a far-flung village in Banjar constituency. The Chief Minister’s visit has brought immense joy to the local people. It’s a matter of pride not just for our family but for the entire village.”

Pradhan Gram Panchayat Bandal Ishwari Devi welcomed the Chief Minister, stating that such a visit had never occurred before. Rameshwari Thakur, Pradhan of Sharchi Gram Panchayat, also expressed gratitude for the government’s initiatives to empower women.

Earlier, the Chief Minister offered prayers at the local Gada Durga temple, seeking prosperity and well-being for the state.

MLA Sunder Singh Thakur and Bhuvneshwar Gaur, Chairman APMC Ram Singh, Chairman Milkfed Buddhi Singh Thakur, former Minister Khimi Ram Sharma, Vice-Chairman HPSIDC Vishal Chambiyal, Secretary Ashish Singhmar, Director Women and Child Development Dr. Pankaj Lalit, Deputy Commissioner Torul S. Ravish, Director Information and Public Relations Rajiv Kumar, Chairman Zila Parishad Kullu Pankaj Parmar, Congress leaders Ses Ram Azad and Vidya Negi, senior Congress leaders, representatives from Panchayati Raj institutions and other dignitaries also graced the occasion.

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Mukhya Mantri Green Adoption Yojna approved to boost forest cover with private sector support

• New forest scheme to blend corporate support with community participation

SHIMLA-29^th May, 2025-Forests are indispensable for ecological balance, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and providing livelihood opportunities for local communities. Forests are equally important for vital economic sectors like hydropower, tourism and horticulture. Recognising the potential of forests in the development, the State Government has recently approved the launching of Mukhya Mantri Green Adoption Yojna to involve the private sector under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) towards environmental sustainability. Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh has special mention of this scheme in his budget speech for fiscal 2025-26 which shows his dedication to ensure increase in forest cover in the state.

A Spokesperson of the State Government said that this would enable private entities to participate financially and engage directly in the ecological restoration of specific degraded forest sites. He said that under the scheme, the Forest Department will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the private entrepreneurs for a period of five years. The MoU would have all details including approved budget, cost of plantation, maintenance, protection, soil/moisture conservation, fencing and other approved activities. He said that the aim of this initiative is to increase the State's actual forest area through plantations on degraded forest lands. He said that this would promote sustainable forest management practices, enhance bio diversity and strengthen the ecological resilience against climate change.

He said that community involvement was a cornerstone of sustainable forest management. Adopting private entities would encourage to integrate local communities in the project, providing employment opportunities in activities such as site preparation, planting, watering, weeding and acting as chowkidars for protection. He said that local institutions like Mahila Mandals, Yuvak Mandals, Self Help Groups and Panchayat representatives would foster ownership and long term protection of the planted areas thereby ensuring livelihoods to the locals.

He said that a dedicated section on the Forest Department website would be created to provide comprehensive information about the scheme alongwith displaying a list of available degraded forests sites. He said that the forest department would also provide technical guidance and expertise throughout the project from planning to monitoring.

He said that the scheme would go a long way in boosting biodiversity, improving air quality, and supporting local ecosystems. He said that this would also provide a structured platform for eligible entities to effectively discharge their CSR obligations towards environmental sustainability, gaining recognition and enhance their brand values as responsible corporate citizens and 'Green Partners' of the State.