SHIMLA-27 September, 2025

Government developing world-class sports infrastructure in State

Himachal Pradesh is scripting a new identity as 'Khel Bhoomi', 'a rising land of sporting excellence'. With a bold vision and decisive leadership, the state is undergoing a remarkable transformation into a sports arena.

At the heart of this transformation is the construction of a world-class multi-purpose sports complex in Kharedi, Nadaun, district Hamirpur. With an estimated investment of Rs 65 crore, the facility will offer state-of-the-art amenities including an eight-lane swimming pool, shooting range, wrestling and boxing arenas, Kabaddi and yoga centres, as well as modern infrastructure for table tennis and badminton. This ambitious project is poised to become a landmark initiative in shaping the future of budding sports talent in the state.

This has been made possible due to the unwavering commitment of the state government led by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to develop world-class infrastructure, nurture young talent and build an inclusive sports ecosystem that empowers athletes to dream big and perform bigger. This dynamic shift not only marks a turning point for sports in Himachal but also positions the state as a model for others to emulate.

For the first time in the state, a progressive decision has been taken under which it has now been mandated that participation certificates or letters issued by recognized sports bodies will serve as valid proof for participation in National and Sports events. Schools have been directed to mark such students on ‘special leave’ instead of marking them absent, similar to the provisions followed for School Games Federation of India (SGFI) competitions. "It should be ensured that the schools should not show such days as absent but should record them as special leave attendance in the attendance register", directed Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. This change will ensure that participation in sports does not negatively impact their academic records or internal assessments, thereby encouraging more students to actively pursue sports alongside academics.

In the current financial year, the state government will establish a 100-bed sports hostel in Luhnu, Bilaspur. Simultaneously, modern sports infrastructure is being developed at Rajiv Gandhi Multi-Purpose Stadium in Katasani, Shimla. Indoor stadiums are also being constructed in Solan, while new sports facilities are underway in Reckong-peo, Haroli and Jaisinghpur. Synthetic tracks and field facilities are being developed in Hamirpur and Sujanpur to provide high-performance training environments for athletes.

Recognising the vital importance of nutrition in the training and performance of athletes, the government has significantly enhanced the daily diet allowances for sportspersons. Players at the primary education level now receive Rs.250 per day during competitions held within the state, while others receive Rs. 400. For those representing Himachal in competitions held outside the state, the allowance has been fixed at Rs. 500 per day. In addition, sportspersons residing in sports hostels are provided with Rs 250 per day within the state and Rs 400 when travelling outside. So far, Rs. 76.98 lakh has been distributed to 421 athletes under this provision, highlighting the state’s strong commitment to their welfare.

As many as 421 players received Rs. 76.98 lakh as diet money and 235 players were given Rs. 6.01 lakh to support their travel expenses. These measures ensure that athletes are not only celebrated after achieving success but are also supported throughout their sporting journey. The government’s support goes beyond just cash rewards. Significant efforts have been made to improve player welfare

Himachali athletes have consistently brought pride to the state at National and International levels. In recognition of their achievements, the state government has substantially increased the award amounts for medal winners. As a result, Rs 14.77 crore has been distributed among 21 International medallists, while other high-performing athletes have received an additional Rs 44 lakh as prize money. This step underscores the government's resolve to celebrate and reward excellence in sports.

Himachali sportspersons are now making their mark on medal tallies across the country, elevating the state’s status on the National sports map.

Chief Minister said that with a well-rounded approach focused on infrastructure, incentives, welfare, and inclusivity, Himachal Pradesh is not merely building sports facilities, it is preparing champions. The proactive steps of the state government are redefining Himachal’s identity as a dynamic and progressive centre of sporting excellence in India.

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4,852 posts to be filled in Jal Shakti Department: Deputy CM

·Jal Rakshak to get early promotions and improved salaries

· Government acts to restore water supply and HRTC losses after natural disasters

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri has said that the state government has approved the recruitment of 4,852 posts in the Jal Shakti Department. The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by him with senior officials here on Friday evening. The proposal would now be placed before the Cabinet for approval.

He said that 1,726 posts of pump operators, para-pump operators and para- fitters have also been approved. In addition, 4,136 positions currently outsourced would be filled directly at the departmental level. This move is expected to save Rs. 25 crore annually, compared to the Rs. 98 crore currently being spent on contractors.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that other posts to be filled include 111 work inspectors, 100 junior engineers, 505 positions on compassionate grounds and the posts of hydrologists. Out of the 505 compassionate appointments, 76 have already been filled and documentation for the remaining posts has been verified.

He said that Jal Rakshak would now be promoted to pump attendants after eight years of service, instead of the earlier 12-year period. So far, 1,346 out of 3,486 Jal Rakshak have received their promotions and the remaining would be upgraded in due course. Pump operators and para fitters would get a respectable salary, replacing the current monthly pay of Rs. 5,000-6,000. Additionally, a new policy for multi-task workers in the department was being prepared to ensure fair remuneration.

Mukesh Agnihotri assured that pension payments to HRTC retirees would be made at the earliest. Although salaries and pensions were being disbursed, the dates have occasionally been delayed. He said that 96 HRTC routes were running at a loss, exacerbated by buses being idle during the monsoon. He urged the central government to release the promised Rs. 1,500 crore disaster relief fund in one installment.

Regarding water supply schemes, he said that the government was considering taking back schemes presented handled by contractors, due to losses caused by natural disasters. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, Rs. 1,227 crore was yet to be received from the Centre. This year, hundreds of water schemes were damaged in natural disasters, resulting in a total loss of Rs. 1,476 crore. Substantial losses were reported in Mandi, Saraj and Dharmapur regions, exceeding Rs. 100 crore.

He said that immediate measures have been taken to provide drinking water to affected communities and funds from both the Centre and the state government would be sought to restore irrigation and water supply projects.

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Opportunity to settle pending legacy tax cases until 30th November, 2025

• Phase-II will also cover petroleum products cases up to 2020-21

The State Government has announced the Himachal Pradesh Sadhbhawana Legacy Cases Resolution Scheme, 2025 (Phase-II), providing taxpayers an opportunity to settle pending arrears and cases related to Value Added Tax, Central Sales Tax, Entry Tax, Entertainment Tax and Luxury Tax through one-time settlement. The scheme is open for three months from 1st September to 30th November, 2025.

The objective of the scheme is to reduce litigation and realize revenue from long-pending cases that arose under the subsumed enactments after the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. Phase-II of the Sadhbhawana Scheme will also cover cases relating to petroleum products up to the year 2020-21, which will significantly help in reducing pendency under non-subsumed enactments as well. The Excise and Taxation department has urged all defaulters to avail this opportunity to amicably resolve their pending cases and contribute towards strengthening the State’s revenue.

A Government Spokesman informed that at present nearly 30,000 cases are pending under various subsumed and non-subsumed enactments across the State and with the introduction of Phase-II of the scheme, the state is expected to realize around Rs. 10 crore.

The Spokesman highlighted that earlier four similar Legacy Case Resolution Schemes had been implemented with encouraging results. Under the Himachal Pradesh (Legacy Cases Resolution) Scheme Rules, 2020, a total of 14,814 cases were disposed of with realization of Rs. 393.21 crore. Similarly, under the Himachal Pradesh Swarn Jayanti (Legacy Cases Resolution) Scheme, 2021, 20,642 cases were resolved with revenue of Rs. 19.16 crore. In addition, 12,813 cases were resolved under the Himachal Pradesh Sadhbhawana Legacy Cases Resolution Scheme, 2025 with revenue of Rs. 40.31 crore, while 898 cases were settled under another phase of the Sadhbhawana Scheme with realization of Rs. 15.03 crore. In total, so far over 49,160 cases have been resolved in the state with a revenue realization of Rs. 467.71 crore.

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Statement of Rajesh Dharmani Technical Education Minister issued on 27th Sept, 2025

Backing the State Government's decision of increasing the price of cement to rupees five per bag, the Technical Education and TCP Minister Rajesh Dharmani stated that it was necessary to rationalize the rates as has badly hit the State below its belt. The State which was already suffering from the brunt of disasters suffered direct loss of around Rs. 1000 crore due to decrease in rates by GST Council.

The Minister said that during the Value Added Tax (VAT) regime, the state revenue was growing at approximately 16% prior to GST. After June 2017 the revenue has fallen to mere 7 to 8 percent after rationalization of GST, the consumption-based taxation system.

He said that this decision of the Union Government is to benefit the big States where consumption is more, but the states like Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and North Eastern States are the worst sufferers. He stated that the GST council had assured that the hill States like Himachal Pradesh will be compensated for the loss and will provide the compensation cess till the revenue growth reached 16 percent as was during the VAT regime, but in June 2022, this compensation cess was stopped and the State was left financially with less resources to generate revenue from.

The Minister stated that the State has not many options to generate the resources from the existing resources and was already facing the brunt of disasters since 2023 with loss of around Rs. 16000 crore caused by the monsoon mayhem. The decision of the Good and Service Tax (GST) Council to reduce the GST from 28 percent to 18 percent on cement has pushed the state in a financial dip.

He said that the State suffered a direct loss of around Rs. 1000 crore following the GST council meet and reduction on prices of cement and for the very reason the Government has enhanced the rate of cement to merely rupees five, which will also not going to compensate the loss the State, has suffered due to rationalization.

Himachal being a small hilly state with low population base has very low potential of increase in consumption despite better enforcement and timely compliance of returns, etc. In addition to lower growth in GST revenue, the discontinuation of GST Compensation is also putting substantial pressure on the state treasury. It is worth mentioning that in absence of GST compensation the state is facing a revenue deficit of approx. 17000 crores up to July 2025.

He countered the statement of opposition, that if they could understand the financial matrix in a better way, they could have not raised hue and cry over the increase of rupees five on a bag of cement. They should understand that the State has suffered a loss of more than Rs. 1000 crore due to GST rationalization. Alone due to reduction in GST on cement, the revenue will decrease by 150 to Rs 200 crore, thus putting added pressure on the State exchequer.

"I have pursued the state's stand effectively in the GST Council Meet that the slashing of GST on cement is badly going to hit Himachal and other hill states, but despite assurances the compensation cess was also withdrawn", he remarked.

The rate rationalization carried earlier had also substantially impacted growths in GST collection of hill states. In this background the GST Council in its 56th meeting, has recommended rate rationalization proposal thereby abolishing 12% & 28% slab rate and introducing 40% tax slab for 'sin goods'.

As per the proposal more than 90% of goods falling in 12% tax slab will now be taxed at 5%. Rate reduction has also been carried out for few foods falling in the 18% tax slab. Moreover, insurance services are also exempted from levying GST. The net loss of rate rationalization in 12% & 18% slab is estimated at approx. 300 crores.

Overall the loss of the State due to GST reduction is around 1000 crore, which used to fetch around Rs. 5300 crore before rationalization. He said that the decrease in GST will no doubt cater to the basic needs of the poor and middle class, but the revenue generation from taxes was used for development purposes. As now when the state will suffer a loss of one thousand crore, it will have an impact on development works as well and these works will get hampered.

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CS directs to identify muck dumping sites

Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena has directed the concerned authorities to identify suitable muck dumping sites across the State, with special focus on the districts most severely affected by the natural disasters of 2023 and 2025. He emphasized that the districts of Mandi, Kullu, Chamba and Shimla should be accorded top priority.

The Chief Secretary also instructed the Secretary, PWD, to coordinate closely with departments such as Forest, Jal Shakti and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to ensure effective planning and implementation. He informed that, henceforth, the power to grant permission for muck removal has been delegated to the District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs), which was earlier exercised at the State level.

The Chief Secretary was presiding over the 26^th meeting of the State Executive Committee (SEC), constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, here today. The meeting laid special emphasis on reviewing and confirming the action taken reports on various directions issued during previous SEC meetings.

The Committee also discussed the establishment of early warning systems by the specified dam authorities, in accordance with the 2015 guidelines and the provisions of the Dam Safety Act, 2021. The Chief Secretary informed that Himachal Pradesh has 30 major dams, of which 25 have been completed and five are under construction.

The meeting also deliberated on the preliminary project report under the National Landslide Risk Mitigation Programme (NLRMP) amounting to Rs. 139 crore, which will be submitted to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Additionally, the preliminary project report under the mitigation scheme for Forest Fire Risk Management (MSFFRM) through the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), worth Rs. 8.16 crore, was taken up for ex-post facto approval of the SEC.

The Committee also considered the ex-post facto approval for the utilization of SDRF/NDRF funds amounting to Rs. 78.76 lakh for the removal of 46,988 cubic meters of debris from public places in Mandi district.

A proposal for the establishment of a State Disaster Response Reserve (SDRR) on the lines of the National Disaster Response Reserve (NDRR) was also discussed and approved during the meeting.

The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary Kamlesh Kumar Pant, Secretary PWD Abhishek Jain, Secretary RD&PR Rajesh Sharma, and Special Secretary and Director, SDMA D.C. Rana, among other senior officers.