Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh today stated that the interests of Himachal Pradesh remain his top priority and that ensuring balanced and equitable development across all regions of the State has been his consistent political commitment.

He said that rising above party politics, he has made continuous efforts and sustained representations before the Centre to secure development for every region of Himachal Pradesh, with special focus on remote and hilly areas, while firmly protecting the rights and interests of the State.

The Minister informed that through regular follow-ups, persistent representations and proactive engagement with the Union Government, he strongly raised the issue of timely release of funds for road construction in difficult terrains during his meeting with Union Minister for Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan. As a result of these efforts, 294 road projects under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana–IV (PMGSY-IV) covering 1,538.058 kilometres have been approved for Himachal Pradesh at a total cost of Rs. 2,247.24 crore, of which Rs. 2,019.70 crore will be provided by the Ministry of Rural Development. The average cost per kilometre has been fixed at Rs. 146.11 lakh.

He said that among these roads four have been approved for Bilaspur, 65 for Chamba, two for Hamirpur, 12 for Kangra, eight for Kinnaur, 65 for Kullu, two for Lahaul & Spiti, 23 for Mandi, 97 for Shimla, 11 for Sirmaur, three for Solan and two for Una District.

Vikramaditya Singh said that all necessary formalities were completed well in advance, reflecting his belief in advance planning and result-oriented governance. With this approval, PMGSY-IV work will now formally commence in Himachal Pradesh. He added that review meetings with Chief Engineers and senior officers will be held shortly to ensure time-bound and quality execution of the projects.

Expressing concern over reduced rainfall and snowfall, the Minister said climate change is a serious and present challenge and such conditions must be viewed as warning signals for future risks, particularly for water resources and horticulture.

He assured that every rupee received will be spent with transparency, quality and accountability, strictly in the interest of the people of Himachal Pradesh, including road up-gradation, bridge construction and improvement of accident-prone black spots.

The Minister said that this approval reflects his accountability and commitment towards nearly 75 lakh people of Himachal Pradesh. He added that this is only the first phase and that more DPRs will be prepared and sent to the Centre in the coming months. “We will continue our efforts without pause until every region of Himachal Pradesh is connected with a strong and reliable road network,” he asserted.

Submit details of utilized and vacant land by 31st March, Jagat Singh Negi to DCs

Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi today chaired the third meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee here wherein all the Deputy Commissioners joined the meeting virtually.

The Minister reviewed the entire details of the land transferred to various Government departments and the unutilized land in the districts.

The Revenue Minister directed all Deputy Commissioners to convene meetings with all the concerned departments in their respective districts, compile accurate land data and complete the exercise by March 31, 2026.

It was also informed that if land transferred to any department remains unutilized for two years, it will be reverted back to the Revenue Department.

Reviewing various important issues related to Revenue Lok Adalats, Jagat Singh Negi stated that following amendments by the State Government, under Section 123 of the Himachal Pradesh Land Reforms Act, 1954, Naib Tehsildars and Tehsildars are required to dispose of partition (Takseem) cases within six months. In case of failure, they must submit written reasons to the Deputy Commissioner. If the reasons are found justified, an extension of three months may be granted otherwise, action will be initiated under the Civil Services (Conduct) Rules. Similarly, a time limit of two months has been fixed for demarcation (Nishandehi) cases and three months for correction (Duroosti) cases.

Secretary, Digital Technology and Governance, Ashish Singmar, Secretary Animal Husbandry Ritesh Chauhan, Additional Secretary Revenue Balwan Chand and other senior officers were present in the meeting.

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Shongtong Hydel project reaches key construction milestones: Revenue Minister

A meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee was held today under the chairmanship of Revenue and Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh Negi. During the meeting, officials of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) gave a detailed presentation on the progress of the 450 MW Shongtong Hydropower Project.

It was informed that the river diversion work of the Shongtong Hydropower Project has been completed besides the other works like completion of Barrage would be completed soon. It was informed 81.91 percent construction work of feeder tunnel has been completed. Hydro-mechanical works have also begun.

Managing Director of HPPCL, Abid Hussain Sadiq, stated that the target was to commission one unit of the project by December 2026 and work was being carried out at pace to achieve this goal. He further informed that the corporation has achieved significant milestones, including the widening of three vertical pressure shafts and completion of Unit-1 of the powerhouse.

Expressing satisfaction over the progress, Minister Jagat Singh Negi directed the officials to speed up the work on the Lippa project as well and ensure timely completion of all other projects.

The meeting was attended by Director (Personnel & Finance) Naresh Thakur, Director (Civil) Surender Kumar, General Manager of Shongtong Karchham Hydropower Project Sunil Kanwar and other senior officers and officials.

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'Smart Meters'won’t affect free power subsidy or increase bills

The Spokesperson of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) today here stated that the installation of smart electricity meters in the State would not affect the provision of subsidy, i.e. free electricity up to 125 units, nor will it lead to any increase in electricity bills.

The spokesperson said that at present 7.5 lakh Smart meters have been installed across the State. A smart meter was only a device for measuring electricity consumption, just like a conventional meter and it does not change tariff rates or billing policies in any manner. He said that the ongoing opposition and misleading narratives on social media were the result of lack of correct information, where facts were being misrepresented and unnecessarily distorted.

The spokesperson further stated that in old meters sometimes the bills were given on average readings on monthly basis, even if the consumers are not using the electricity, but in smart meters, actual consumption can be verified on the actual usage and no average bills will come regularly, if the consumer is not using the electricity. In smart meters consumption data is automatically transmitted to a central data centre. This system was being introduced solely to provide better online services, accurate billing and improved convenience to electricity consumers.

The transition is more than just a device change, it is a shift from estimated or manual billing to real-time data driven system. He stated that orders have also been issued allowing consumers to install a second smart meter alongside their existing one if they suspect any inaccuracies. This setup enables consumers to monitor their electricity consumption at 15-minute intervals. If a discrepancy is found, they can reach out to their respective Electricity Sub-Division office.

He said that smart meters were being installed to enhance transparency, efficiency and consumer-friendly services and urged people not to believe rumours or misinformation but to rely on verified and authentic information. He further stated that a consumer can also voluntarily opt for pre-paid meters at their will.