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BJP Govt Celebrates Completion of 4 Years in Himachal, Congress, CPIM Question Unfulfilled Poll Promises

Mandi-Prime Minister Narender Modi today addressed a rally at the Paddal ground in Mandi. The occasion was to celebrate what Chief Minister Jairam Thakur claimed to be the “successful completion of four years of the government.”
The Prime Minister termed the State Government’s term as “four years of eventful tenure.”
A special emphasis was laid on creating a feeling of emotional proximity of the Prime Minister to Himachal Pradesh.
The event was organized to be a grand one with huge expenditure on its publicity, which the opposition Congress termed to be an extravagance in the use of public money to show-off political power.
The Prime Minister and Chief Minister counted various schemes and cited various statistics as the current government’s achievement.
However, the defeat on all three Assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat in the recently held bye-elections contradicts the government’s claim that the public is satisfied with the working of the current government.
While the BJP-led government indulged in self-praise at the Paddal ground, the opposition Congress observed the day as “state-wide Virodh Diwas” against the alleged poor governance and incompetence of the current BJP-led government. In various districts, the opposition submitted a memorandum regarding the alleged failures of the government to the Governor through respective Deputy Commissioners.
In the memorandum, Congress highlighted four issues – poor governance, fiscal incompetence, rampant corruption, and Covid mismanagement.
Congress alleged that the government didn’t fulfil its poll promises. The inflation, rising prices of essential commodities, and unemployment haven’t been attended. The Opposition also alleged misuse of government machinery and corruption. The Congress termed the second round of investor meet as an eyewash. The state government has failed in procuring any central package for the industrial development in the state, the Congress said.
The opposition also condemned the inconvenience caused by taking over 1600 HRTC buses off their routes and deploy them for the rally. Also, the organization of such a huge rally amid the fear of the third wave of the pandemic was also questionable considering the precautions other states are taking.
Similarly, the Communist Party of India also carried out a protest march in Shimla city on Monday. Sanjay Chauhan, a senior party leader and former mayor of Shimla, alleged that the government hasn’t fulfilled several of the promises BJP had made before the elections.
“BJP had promised to ease the lives of the people by reducing inflation and generating more employment opportunities. It had also made a promise to ensure better prices to farmers for their crops and hike daily wages. The employees were promised the revival of the old pension scheme and a new policy for contractual and outsourced employees, Sanjay Chauhan said.
“BJP had also promised payment of proper compensation by implementing the Land Acquisition Act, 2013. But the state government is yet to fulfil any of these promises,” Chauhan added.
“The unemployment rate which was 0.5% in April 2017 had risen to 28.2% till May 2020, and 8.5 lakh educated youth is still registered with the employment exchange, waiting for employment,” Chauhan added.
He also said that the government has almost cut all the subsidies given to farmers on seeds, manure pesticides, insecticides, fungicides etc.
Projects Inaugurated by PM
The Prime Minister inaugurated and laid foundation stones of projects worth about Rs 11,581. The main projects include the following:
111 MW Sawara Kuddu Hydro Electric Project
Prime Minister inaugurated 111 MW Sawara Kuddu Hydro Electric Project virtually from Mandi constructed by the HP Power Corporation Ltd (HPPCL) at Rs 2082 crore.
Constructed near the Hatkoti temple on the Pabbar river in Shimla district, the government claimed that this project would generate 386 million units of power per annum and generate annual revenue of about Rs 120 crore to the State through HPPCL.
Renuka ji Dam on Giri, Sirmour, and 66 MW Dhaulasidh Hydro Electric Project
He also laid foundation stones of Rs 7000 crore Renuka ji Dam on Giri river in Sirmour district and 66 MW Dhaulasidh Hydro Electric Project, a joint venture between the Government of India and the State Government located on the Beas river in Hamirpur and Kangra districts, the government informed. This Project being executed by the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. would be completed by spending an amount of Rs 688 crore.
210 MW Luhri Stage-I Hydro-Electric Project
He also laid the foundation stone of the 210 MW Luhri Stage-I hydroelectric project to be constructed by spending Rs 1811 crore on the Satluj river in Shimla and Kullu districts of the State.
Though the Hydropower projects are debatable and aren’t considered eco-friendly due to several reasons, the Prime Minister said the ones launched on Monday “reflects India’s commitment to eco-friendly development.”
“When the Shree Renukaji Dam project on the Giri river is completed, a large area will be directly benefited by it. Whatever income will be generated from this project, a large part of it will also be spent on development”, the Prime Minister claimed.
He claimed that India is meeting its environment-related goals with a remarkable speed.
“In 2016, India had set a target to meet 40 percent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil energy sources by 2030. India has achieved this goal in November this year itself.” the PM claimed.
He said that the State got AIIMS, Atal Tunnel and four Medical Colleges during the tenure of the present Government. But the Congress alleges that the BJP government is taking undue credits for several projects thought and initiated by the previous Congress government. Atal Tunnel is one of them, the opposition alleged.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also presided over the state government’s second “Ground Breaking Ceremony of the Himachal Pradesh Global Investors’ Meet” at Mandi. The government said that in the event, 287 investible projects worth ₹ 28,197 were grounded.
Amongst these projects were Renukaji Dam project worth ₹ 6,700 crores by SJVNL, State’s first Defence Park worth ₹ 2,000 crores by M/s SMPP Pvt. Ltd., API unit worth ₹ 850 Cr by M/s Kinvan Pvt. Ltd., State’s first Defence Park worth ₹ 510 Cr by M/s Indo Farm Equipment.
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Kotkhai Custodial Death Case: CBI Court Sentences IGP Zaidi, 7 Other Policemen to Life Imprisonment

SHIMLA – A special CBI court has convicted and sentenced Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zahur Haider Zaidi and seven other policemen to life imprisonment in connection with the 2017 custodial death case of 29-year-old Suraj Singh.
CBI Public Prosecutor Amit Jindal argued for exemplary punishment, emphasizing the gravity of the crime.
After considering the arguments, CBI Special Judge Alka Malik sentenced the eight police personnel to life imprisonment.
On January 18, the accused were found guilty under Sections 302, 330, 348, 218, 195, 196, 201, and 120B of the IPC in connection with the custodial death of suspect Suraj Singh. However, the court acquitted former Shimla SP DW Negi.
The incident occurred on July 18, 2017, when Suraj Singh, an accused in the alleged gang rape and murder of a minor girl in Kotkhai, Shimla district, died in police custody. The CBI investigation revealed that Suraj Singh was tortured and murdered by police personnel.
The court convicted Zaidi, who was the then Inspector General of Police, along with seven other policemen, including Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Manoj Joshi, Sub-Inspector Rajinder Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector Deep Chand Sharma, Head Constables Mohan Lal, Surat Singh, and Rafee Mohammad, and Constable Ranjit Sateta.
CBI public prosecutor Amit Jindal stated that the court sentenced the eight convicts to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on them. The accused were convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including murder, voluntarily causing hurt to extort confession, and wrongful confinement to extract confession.
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HP Cabinet Decisions: Approves Pilot Study on Cannabis Cultivation, Seema College Renamed as Raja Virbhadra Singh Govt. College

Shimla-The State Cabinet, in its recent meeting held at Dharamshala in Kangra district, made several key decisions across various sectors.
Cannabis Cultivation Study:
The Cabinet approved a pilot study on cannabis cultivation, which will be jointly conducted by Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Krishi Vishvavidyalaya in Kangra and Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture in Solan. The study aims to evaluate the potential of cannabis cultivation and recommend future actions. The Agriculture Department will serve as the nodal agency for this initiative.
Disaster Relief for Tandi Village:
The Cabinet extended the special relief package for disaster-affected families to those impacted by the fire in Tandi Village, Kullu. Under the package, families with fully damaged houses will receive Rs. 7 lakh, those with partially damaged houses will receive Rs. 1 lakh, and families who lost cowsheds will receive Rs. 50,000. Additionally, monthly rental assistance of Rs. 5,000 will be provided to affected families until June 30, 2025.
Robotic Surgery Equipment Procurement:
The Cabinet approved Rs. 56 crore for the procurement of state-of-the-art machinery and equipment for robotic surgery at AIMSS Chamiyana in Shimla and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Tanda, Kangra. The approval follows a model similar to AIIMS New Delhi, aimed at enhancing medical facilities.
Forest Department Order Amendment:
The Cabinet amended the Forest Department’s previous order to allow the extraction of berberis roots (Kashmal) until February 15, 2025. Furthermore, it permitted the transportation of forest produce extracted from open spaces prior to January 4, 2025, until February 15, 2025, in line with the HP Forest Produce Transit (Land Routes) Rules, 2013.
Ropeway Project and Transportation Improvements:
The Cabinet approved the establishment of a ropeway between Kullu Bus Stand and Peej Paragliding Point. Additionally, it sanctioned the procurement of 24 air-conditioned super luxury buses for the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) to improve passenger services.
Rural Development and Infrastructure Reorganization:
Nine posts of Block Development Officers will be filled in the Department of Rural Development. The Cabinet also approved the reorganization of the PWD National Highway Circle in Shahpur, creating two new divisions, Nankhadi and Kholighat, and the Kharahan Section.
State Taxes and Excise Enforcement:
To enhance enforcement, the Cabinet approved the allocation of 100 motorbikes to field offices of the State Taxes and Excise Department for surprise checks and improved monitoring.
State Cadre Posts:
The Cabinet decided to bring the posts of Drivers, all Class-III and Class-IV posts in District Collector (DC) offices, and staff members in the offices of the three Divisional Commissioners, Director of Land Records, Revenue Training Institute (Jogindernagar), Directorate of Consolidation of Holdings (Shimla), and the Settlement Offices in Kangra and Shimla under the State Cadre. This move aims to standardize governance and improve administrative efficiency.
Educational Institutions Renamed:
The Cabinet approved the renaming of several educational institutions. Government College Seema in Shimla will now be known as Raja Virbhadra Singh Government College Seema. GGSSS Sports Hostel (Girls) Jubbal will be renamed Sh. Ram Lal Thakur GGSSS Sports Hostel (Girls), Jubbal, and Government College Khad in Una will be renamed Mohan Lal Dutt Government College Khad.
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HP Cabinet Decisions: Eligibility Criteria for BPL List, Special Task Force to Combat Drug Abuse & Other Decisions

Shimla-The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, in its meeting held on Thursday, approved the inclusion of the following families in the BPL list:
- Families with no adult members between the ages of 18 and 59.
- Women-headed families.
- Families whose head has a disability of 50 per cent or more.
- Families that worked for at least 100 days under MNREGA in the previous financial year.
- Families whose earning members are suffering from chronic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, muscular dystrophy, thalassemia, or any other condition resulting in permanent disability.
The Cabinet also approved the establishment of a Special Task Force to combat drug abuse and dismantle drug trafficking and organized crime networks in the state through a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach.
Additionally, the Cabinet decided to promulgate an ordinance to amend Schedule 1A of the Indian Stamp Act of 1899. This amendment will facilitate the levy of a uniform stamp duty rate of 12 per cent on transfer and lease transactions secured under Section 118(2)(H) of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, with prior approval from the State Government.
The Cabinet approved a ban on the felling of trees, except for Safeda, Poplar, Bamboo, and Khair (for sale), in accordance with a ten-year program.
The Cabinet reiterated its request to the Government of India to adopt a 90:10 funding formula for the power component of the Kishau Multipurpose Project, similar to the formula adopted for its water component. Alternatively, the Cabinet proposed providing a 50-year interest-free loan for the entire amount payable by the State Government for the power component under the Inter-State Agreement.
It approved the establishment of a 1 MW Green Hydrogen Project in Nalagarh, to be executed by HPPCL.
The Cabinet sanctioned the imposition of Green Energy Development Charges for Pumped Storage Projects. A charge of ₹2.5 lakh per MW per year will be levied for the first 10 years after the project’s commissioning, increasing to ₹5 lakh per MW per year thereafter.
Approval was given to introduce the Himachal Pradesh Sadbhawana Legacy Cases Resolution Scheme 2025 to resolve pending cases, litigations, and arrears under subsumed enactments such as VAT, CST, Entry Tax, etc.
The Cabinet decided to designate the area surrounding the Tara Devi Temple in Shimla district as a Green Area.
It approved the creation and filling of 10 Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts for the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission, Shimla.
The Cabinet selected the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, to conduct computer-based tests for the recruitment of Group-C posts through the Himachal Pradesh Rajya Chayan Aayog, Hamirpur.
Approval was granted for creating the Block Primary Education Office at Rohnat by bifurcating the existing Block Primary Education Office at Shilai in the Sirmaur district.
The Cabinet decided to transfer three-gram panchayats — Matyal, Kudal, and Dhadol — from Development Block Lambagaon to Development Block Baijnath in Kangra district to serve the residents of these areas better.
The Cabinet approved the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Development Authority Land Pooling Policy-2025.
It also approved the establishment of the Himachal Pradesh State Water Informatics Centre to collect data from domain-specific bodies, develop new databases, and disseminate comprehensive water-related information.
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HP Cabinet Decisions: Eligibility Criteria for BPL List, Special Task Force to Combat Drug Abuse & Other Decisions
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HP Cabinet Decisions: Approves Pilot Study on Cannabis Cultivation, Seema College Renamed as Raja Virbhadra Singh Govt. College
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