SHIMLA- 19^th December, 2025

Supreme Outfit Private Limited contributes Rs.10 Lakh for State Rehabilitation Efforts

Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Supreme Outfit Private Limited, Faridabad and resident of Palampur Prem Singh Rana presented a cheque of Rs. 10 lakh to Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here today under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative to support ongoing rehabilitation and rescue efforts in the State.

The Chief Minister thanked this noble gesture and said that it was a matter of pride that various organizations were coming forward to help the disaster affected people and other vulnerable sections of the society. He said this assistance would go a long way in providing relief to the needy people.

Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Supreme Outfit Private Limited, Faridabad Prem Singh Rana said that the organization has undertaken multiple initiatives focused on education, livelihood support, environmental conservation and disaster rehabilitation in Himachal Pradesh.

Secretary Environment, Science & Technology Sushil Kumar Singla was also present on the occasion. ===========================

'Indora Utsav' to get district-level status soon: CM

State Govt to oppose scrapping of MGNREGA

CM seeks Public support for Chitta-free Himachal

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu strongly condemned the Union Government’s decision to abolish the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and replace it with a new legislation. MGNREGA has been the world’s largest employment scheme and a lifeline for the poor, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chief Minister said that abolition of MGNREGA was an injustice to the poor and the State Government would firmly oppose this move.

The Chief Minister was in Indora in district Kangra, to preside over the closing ceremony of the 'Indora Utsav' on Friday. The festival, organised on the theme 'Chitta-Free Himachal', was highly appreciated by the Chief Minister. He also announced that Indora Utsav will soon be granted district-level status.

Speaking on the occasion, Sh. Sukhu said that the “Chitta-Free Himachal” campaign has become a mass movement. Illegal properties worth Rs. 50 crore linked to drug trafficking have been seized so far, and the remaining illicit assets will be destroyed within six months. He appealed to the public and Panchayats to support the campaign and urged citizens to share information through emergency number 112, assuring full confidentiality and rewards ranging from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 10 lakh.

Elaborating the development initiatives of the State, the Chief Minister highlighted that Himachal Pradesh was the first state in the country to provide Minimum Support Price (MSP) for naturally grown crops, including wheat, maize, turmeric and barley and milk. Strengthening the rural economy remains a key priority, with a goal to ensure a minimum monthly family income of Rs. 20,000 for every farmer.

In the health sector, he said modern technology is being prioritized, with replacement of outdated equipment from medical colleges to civil hospitals. Funds of Rs. 3,000 crore have been released for MRI, CT scan and X-ray machines, and robotic surgery has been introduced. Five medical colleges have been equipped with 3-Tesla MRI machines. Strict measures have also been taken to prevent misuse of the HIMCARE scheme. The Chief Minister said special revenue courts have been set up to dispose of long-pending cases, with a record 4.63 lakh cases already settled.

Highlighting steps towards self-reliance, the Chief Minister said the government has won the Wild Flower Hall case which was in litigation from last 23 years. The decision of the Apex court will help generate Rs. 20 crore annually for the State. The efforts of the State government yielded results as now the JSW operating Karcham-Wangtoo project have to pay 18 percent royalty to the state instead of 12 percent earlier, which will generate Rs. 150 crore additional income to the State per year.

He said the State Government was ensuring holistic development and creating ample employment and self-employment opportunities.

The Chief Minister also interacted with students of Angel Orphanage Home.

MLA Malender Rajan welcomed the Chief Minister and said the festival aims to spread awareness among youth about the harmful effects of drugs. He added that the State Government’s firm action against the drug mafia is yielding positive results and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to making Himachal Pradesh prosperous and self-reliant.

Cultural performances by renowned singer Lakhwinder Badali, HP Police Band, local artists and cultural troupes were also presented.

Agriculture Minister Prof Chander Kumar, Vice Chairman Planning Board Bhawani Singh Pathania, Chairman Wool Fed Manoj Thakur, Vice Chairman, HP Industrial development Corporation Vishal Chambyal, Chairman APMC Kangra, Nishu Mongra, Former Minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri, Former MLA's Ajay Mahajan Congress leaders, senior officers and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

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Deputy CM chairs first meeting of Water Resources Department's Screening Committee

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri chaired the first meeting of the Water Resources Department's Screening Committee for the financial year 2025-26 held here on Thursday evening. He reviewed the departmental schemes and development works with the officers of the Water Resources Department and took stock of the progress of ongoing water supply and irrigation projects across the state. He directed the officers to expedite the work and complete in a time bound manner.

While discussing the water supply schemes, irrigation projects and departmental proposals in detail, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the main objective of the Water Resources Department's schemes was to provide clean drinking water to every citizen of the state and to provide better irrigation facilities to farmers.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that officers should not confine themselves to their offices but should regularly inspect the ongoing works in the field and ensure that problems are resolved at the ground level.

Principal Secretary (Law) Rajeev Bali, Secretary Rakhil Kahlon, Additional Controller Stores Manoj Kumar, Special Secretary Finance Vijay Vardhan, GM HP Civil Supply Arvind Sharma and senior officers of the Water Resources Department.

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State level workshop on strengthening wheat flour fortification

The Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) in collaboration with Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT) and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) successfully organized a State Level Workshop on Strengthening Wheat Flour Fortification in the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).

R. D. Nazeem Additional Chief Secretary in his keynote address emphasized the government's commitment to nutritional security through fortification programs. He reiterated the importance of institutional strengthening, inter-departmental coordination and sustained technical support to ensure effective implementation of fortification initiatives. He also launched of a comprehensive policy document on wheat flour fortification, which will guide future implementation strategies in the state.

Director FCS&CA Ram Kumar Gautam stated that the state was committed to strengthening the TPDS through quality-assured fortified wheat flour, underscoring its role in improving nutritional security for vulnerable populations.

Suresh Sakhare, Senior Principal Scientist from Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) conducted detailed technical sessions The sessions covered technical aspects, innovations and best practices in wheat flour fortification.

Ms. Priya Bhattacharya from GAIN, Ms. Mihika Wakhloo from KHPT, presented key findings from the process document, providing valuable insights into the implementation framework Program Manager and highlighted the importance of endorsement processes and stakeholder engagement in successful fortification programs.

The workshop witnessed active participation from district-level officials, mill operators, and other key stakeholders involved in TPDS operations. An open discussion session allowed participants to share experiences, challenges, and suggestions for improving fortification implementation.