SHIMLA -4 August, 2025

CM mourns loss of lives in Mandi road accident

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has expressed grief over the tragic death of three persons in a road accident on the Janjehli-Chhatri road in Mandi district on Sunday night.

The Chief Minister has directed the district administration to provide all possible assistance to the next of kin of the deceased. He also wished speedy recovery to the injured.

He prayed to the Almighty to grant eternal peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved family members to bear this irreparable loss.

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State procures 2123 quintals of wheat, transfers Rs. 1.31 crore to farmers

Himachal Pradesh government has launched various schemes to improve the livelihood of rural population and strengthen their economy. The farmers are adopting natural farming on a large scale due to the enhanced benefits being provided by the present state government, including the enhanced minimum support price on wheat, maize and milk etc.

A spokesman of the state government said that this year, 2123 quintals of wheat had been procured at the rate of Rs. 60 per kg from 838 farmers and Rs. 1.27 crore had been transferred through DBT into their bank accounts. In addition, freight subsidy of Rs. 4.15 lakh on transportation of wheat had also been provided. The state government had also purchased 127 metric tonnes of naturally grown raw turmeric at the rate of Rs. 90 per kg from the farmers of the six districts and Rs. 1.14 crore were transferred to their bank accounts.

The Spokesman said that the Agriculture department purchased 399 metric tonnes of naturally grown maize from 1509 farmers of ten districts during last season and Rs. 1.40 crore had been transferred to their accounts thus ensuring them better prices.

He said that the Pangi Division of Chamba district had been declared as natural farming division of the state and the government would procure 40 metric tonnes of naturally grown barely at the rate of Rs. 60 per kg from the farmers of Pangi area from the last week of September.

He said that the government had also been selling the products of naturally grown crops under 'Him-Bhog' brand in the markets which was becoming popular day-by-day and consumers were coming forward to purchase the chemical-free products.

The Spokesman said that to encourage the farmers to adopt the natural farming, the state government was providing training to the farmers so that they could grow such crops in their fields. He said that till now 3.06 lakh farmers were provided training in the State. He said that 38,437 hectare of land of 3584 gram panchayats had been brought under natural farming and over 2,22,893 farmers were growing various crops in the State.

The state government had set a target of engaging more one lakh farmers to adopt this initiative during the current financial year. So far, 59,068 farmers and horticulturists of 88 Development Blocks had filled their registration form.

He said that the state government was offering minimum support price to the naturally grown produces. Naturally grown wheat, maize, raw turmeric and barley was being procured at the rate of Rs. 60, Rs. 40, Rs. 90 and Rs. 60 per kg respectively. This was not only ensuring chemical-free products to the consumers but also providing remunerative prices to the farmers.

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95 percent affected water supply schemes temporarily restored: Deputy CM

· Commends department’s prompt action in providing relief to public

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri today said that nearly 95 water supply schemes affected due to recent torrential rains and flash floods had been temporarily restored in the state, bringing a big relief to the general public. He said that 5,805 water supply schemes were affected due to the disaster and out of them 5,440 had been restored temporarily.

He stated that the state had a total of 10,067 water supply schemes, including 3,210 lift schemes, 335 tube wells, and 6,522 gravity-based schemes. The heavy rainfall impacted 5,805 schemes, but swift action by the department has ensured that a majority were already back in operation. The estimated damage to these water supply schemes stands at approximately Rs. 434.47 crore.

Mukesh Agnihotri further informed that 1,293 irrigation schemes were also been affected with estimated losses of Rs. 101.67 crore. Additionally, 43 flood protection works sustained damage worth Rs. 19.77 crore, 83 sewerage schemes incurred losses of Rs. 23.55 crore, and 319 hand pumps were damaged, leading to estimated losses of Rs. 81.52 lakh. In total, 7,543 schemes were effected across the state with cumulative damages estimated at Rs. 580.30 crore.

He commended the officers and employees of the Jal Shakti department for exemplary promptness and dedication in restoring water supply schemes disrupted by the recent heavy rains. Lauding the tireless efforts of the department’s officers and employees, the Deputy Chief Minister said their work in such challenging circumstances was highly commendable and inspiring. He added that these ground-level workers were actively engaged in restoring essential services and ensuring uninterrupted water supply in the affected regions. "The state government salutes their contribution and is providing support at every level," he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that restoration of water supply and sewerage infrastructure remains a top priority for the state government. He has directed the concerned departments to ensure expeditious and efficient restoration with a commitment to permanent repairs at the earliest.

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CM HIMACHAL URGED THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TO EXTEND SUPPORT FOR HOMELESS IN RECENT DISASTER

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has urged the Central Government to extend its support in rehabilitating those who lost their homes and land during the recent natural disasters in Himachal Pradesh.

Chief Minister’s Principal Media Advisor, Naresh Chauhan, while addressing the Media today in Shimla said that during a meeting in New Delhi, the Chief Minister has appealed to Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, to allow the state government to allocate at least one bigha of land per affected family. Given that 68 percent of the state’s land is categorised as forest area, it is proving to be a significant challenge for the government to relocate people to safer areas. He said that the Chief Minister has also requested for permission to provide at least five bighas of land to small and marginal farmers and orchardists so they may earn a respectable livelihood through cultivation.

Naresh Chauhan further said that the state government was doing its best to support apple growers in transporting their produce to the markets. He appealed to farmers to ensure that only good-quality apples are sent to the mandis, as better quality guarantees better prices. The government is procuring the remaining stock through HPMC and other agencies at the rate of Rs. 12 per kilogram under the Market Intervention Scheme.

Responding to allegations made by Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur about an alleged lottery deal, Sh. Chauhan dismissed the claims as baseless and politically motivated. He challenged him to present concrete evidence if he believes there has indeed been any wrongdoing. The Leader of Opposition should speak with accountability and provide details such as which the alleged deal was made with and whether any officials or ruling party members were involved. Merely floating such accusations for political gain, without proof, is both irresponsible and misleading.

Clarifying the government’s stance, Sh. Chauhan said that the decision to launch a state lottery was made by the Cabinet and it will be conducted online. He said out that several BJP-ruled states have long operated lotteries and people from Himachal also participate in them. If BJP leaders have objections, they must first explain why lotteries are being run in states governed by their own party. He questioned the moral stand of BJP leaders.

Speaking about organisational matters, Sh. Chauhan said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is currently holding a review meeting in Delhi to assess the performance of the Himachal Pradesh government over its two-and-a-half-year term. The meeting will also focus on the reorganisation of the state Congress body. The formation of the HP Congress Committee has been delayed due to recent natural disasters in the state. He expressed hope that a new president and executive committee would soon be appointed and will ensuring better coordination and leadership within the party’s state unit.

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