SHIMLA- 21.12.25-

Focused planning and sustained efforts of government transforming tribal regions into hubs of opportunity

The State Government under the guidance of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is firmly committed to ensure balanced, inclusive and sustainable development of the State’s tribal regions. With tribal communities constituting about 5.71 percent of the State’s population, their social and economic welfare has been placed at the core of the government’s development agenda.

To ensure focused and outcome-oriented growth, nine per cent of the total State Plan has been earmarked under the Tribal Area Development Programme. Over the past three years alone, a provision of Rs. 2,386.15 crore has been made for tribal areas under this programme which reflect the strong resolve of the government to bridge regional disparities and bring tribal regions into the mainstream of development. For the financial year 2025-26, an additional provision of Rs. 638.73 crore has been made under the programme.

A landmark initiative was undertaken on 15 April 2025, when Pangi valley was declared the first Natural Farming Sub-Division of the State. To strengthen farm incomes, the State Government also began procuring barley produced by Pangi farmers at a Minimum Support Price of Rs. 60 per kilogram. Around 40 metric tonnes of barley have already been procured, ensuring assured income to local cultivators. Giving priority to Scheduled Areas, the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh-Samman Nidhi Yojna was launched in Spiti in February 2024.

Creating employment and self-employment opportunities for youth remains a top priority of the government. To generate livelihoods through the transport sector in tribal areas, the State Government has announced a subsidy of up to 40 percent for eligible youth on the purchase of buses and traveler vehicles, along with an exemption from road tax for four months. To promote self-employment in the renewable energy sector, interest subsidies of five percent are being provided for setting up private solar power projects ranging from 100 KW to two MW in tribal regions.

Infrastructure development has received strong momentum, with nearly Rs. 476 crore spent on transport, roads, bridges and buildings in tribal regions over the last three years. A total of 3,148 kilometers of motor-able roads have been constructed in tribal areas, of which about 61 percent have been paved. The Chief Minister has directed officers to complete a tender process for development works in snow-bound areas at the earliest so that construction activities can commence from March-April as soon as weather conditions improve. To strengthen uninterrupted connectivity in Kinnaur, a new road will be constructed at Nigulsari, a major bottleneck and landslide-prone sinking zone on National Highway-5.

In the education sector, four Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) have been established at Nichar, Bharmaur, Pangi and Lahaul, with 1,008 students currently enrolled. Foundation stones have been laid for new EMRS campuses at Pangi and Kukumseri. Construction work is underway at Pangi and Lahaul, while CPWD is completing formalities for Bharmour. Additional residential facilities are also being constructed at EMRS Nichar. Land clearance for the Tribal Research and Training Institute has been secured and a Detailed Project Report worth Rs. 40.29 crore has been sent to the Government of India for approval.

The State Government has also ensured the establishment of adequate health and veterinary infrastructure in tribal regions. These include two regional hospitals, six civil hospitals, five community health centres, 46 primary health centres, three ayurvedic hospitals, 73 ayurvedic dispensaries, 48 veterinary hospitals, 118 veterinary dispensaries and five sheep and wool extension centres.

Tourism is emerging as a major livelihood driver in tribal belts. Border tourism has been launched at Shipki-La in Kinnaur, significantly boosting local income. Following the Chief Minister’s visit, tourist footfall at Shipki-La has reportedly increased threefold. The State Government is actively pursuing the proposal to start the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Shipki-La and has strongly taken up the matter with the Central Government. Efforts are also underway to resume traditional trade with Tibet. Buddhist tourism circuits and astro-tourism are being promoted, with a star-gazing facility inaugurated at Kaza in Lahaul-Spiti. Remote destinations such as Chandra Tal, Tandi, Kaza, Rakchham and Nako-Chango are being developed under a special tourism plan.

Sustainable energy solutions further reflect the government’s forward-looking approach. Solar off-grid systems have been installed in 148 households across remote villages including Mud, Langza, Hikkim and Komic. Battery energy storage systems are being set up in villages of Pangi valley to ensure uninterrupted power supply. A 2 MW solar power plant has already been commissioned at Kaza, while solar power plants of 1.2 MW at Dhanwas (Pangi) and 2 MW at Rong-tong (Spiti) will be made functional soon to permanently resolve power supply issues.

The State Government is also prioritizing the settlement of long-pending Nautor cases in tribal areas. The State Cabinet has approved the proposal, which has been sent to the Governor. Under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, around 1,039 land titles have been distributed till September 2025. For public convenience, construction of a Tribal Bhawan at Rampur is in progress, while the Nurpur Tribal Bhawan will be dedicated to the people shortly.

Due to sustained efforts of the state government tribal regions have witnessed unprecedented development and today display greater prosperity compared to many other parts of the State. The average per capita income in tribal districts is higher than the state average and these regions also perform better on key social indicators, including a favourable male-female sex ratio.

Through focused planning, sustained investment and decisive leadership, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu tribal and border areas became a hub of opportunity, dignity and sustainable growth, ensuring that development truly reaches the last village and to the last person.

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Chief Minister launches Pulse Polio Campaign

• Advanced Pediatric Centre to be set up at AIMSS Chamiyana
• Special OPD consultation slots to be started for senior citizens in hospitals

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today launched the state-level Intensified Pulse Polio Campaign at Kamla Nehru Hospital, Shimla, on the occasion of National Immunization Day. He also administered polio drops to young children.

The Chief Minister appreciated doctors, anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, ANMs, Panchayati Raj institutions, school teachers and the district administration for the successful organization of the campaign.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the state government was strengthening health services from primary health centres to medical colleges. He announced that an Advanced Pediatric Centre would be established at the Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialities, Chamiyana. The centre would provide world-class treatment facilities for children with modern infrastructure.

He further said that special OPD consultation slots would be introduced in hospitals for senior citizens above 70 years of age so that they do not have to wait and can receive timely and convenient treatment.

The Chief Minister said that the State Government was giving top priority to the education and health sectors. World-class technology and modern infrastructure were also being developed to further strengthen health services. All vacant posts in the health department were being filled in a phased manner to improve medical services.

Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the objective of the Intensified Pulse Polio Campaign was to maintain the State’s polio-free status. Under the campaign, nearly six lakh children in the age group of zero to five years would be given polio drops at 5,793 polio booths across the state. A total of 11,706 vaccination teams have been deployed for the smooth conduct of the campaign.

He said that mop-up days would be observed on 22 and 23 December, during which door-to-door visits will be carried out to cover missed children, migrant families and high-risk areas. All required vaccines, cold-chain equipment and other logistics have already been supplied to all districts.

He said that the State Government has given highest priority to modern technology in the health sector. In a historic initiative, robotic surgery has been introduced at AIMSS Chamiyana Hospital in Shimla and Tanda Medical College in Kangra district. He said that old machines were being replaced from medical colleges to civil hospitals. The government was spending nearly Rs. 3,000 crore on installing MRI, CT scan and X-ray machines.

He said that health services in the state were being upgraded on the lines of AIIMS Delhi and modern trauma centres equipped with advanced facilities have been established to provide better care to patients.

On the occasion the Chief Minister also interacted with patients and their attendants at Kamla Nehru Hospital and issued necessary directions to the concerned officers.

Health Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil, MLA Harish Janartha, Secretary Sandeep Kadam, Managing Director NHM Pradeep Thakur, Director Health Dr. Gopal Beri, Director Health Education Dr. Rakesh Sharma and other senior officers were present on the occasion.

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Govt. expands Mukhya Mantri Laghu Dukandar Kalyan Yojana to urban areas: CM

· Small shopkeepers to get OTS support upto Rs. 1 lakh

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today here said that the State Government has expanded the Mukhya Mantri Laghu Dukandar Kalyan Yojana to urban areas of Himachal Pradesh with the objective of providing financial relief and economic support to small shopkeepers. The scheme, notified as 'Mukhya Mantri Laghu Dukandar Kalyan Yojana-Shahri', would be implemented in all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of the State and the notification in this regard had already been issued.

The Chief Minister said that this welfare scheme had already been implemented in rural areas since 2023, which has now been extended to urban areas as announced in the Budget 2025-26.

He said that a large number of small traders in urban areas earn their livelihood through small businesses but often lack financial capacity and access to institutional support. Due to financial stress, many of them were unable to repay bank loans and their accounts turned into Non-Performing Assets (NPAs). Keeping these challenges in view, the state government had decided to extend this welfare scheme to urban areas to provide much-needed relief.

Under the scheme, distressed small shopkeepers with an annual turnover of less than Rs. 10 lakh, who have availed business loans from banks and have been declared NPAs, would be provided One Time Settlement (OTS) assistance of up to Rs. one lakh through banks. The OTS amount would be borne entirely by the state government.

The Chief Minister said that beneficiaries whose total outstanding amount, including principal and interest, was up to Rs. one lakh would get full settlement under the scheme. In cases where outstanding dues exceed Rs. one lakh, the beneficiary would have to deposit the remaining amount themselves, while the state government would provide Rs. one lakh as OTS support. However, the maximum loan amount availed by any beneficiary should not exceed Rs. 10 lakh.

Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu further said that the scheme has been designed with a strong focus on transparency and ease of access. A clearly defined institutional mechanism involving Urban Local Bodies, banks, a Nodal Bank and the Urban Development Department has been put in place to ensure timely settlement of claims and smooth closure of NPA accounts. He said that by removing the burden of interest during the intervening period and by not allowing any processing or administrative charges, the state government had ensured that the maximum benefit reaches genuine small shopkeepers.

He said that the scheme would benefit small fruit and vegetable vendors, tea stall and dhaba owners, barbers, paan shop owners, cobblers, chaat vendors, garage owners, tailors, grocery shop owners, mobile repairing shop owners, street vendors and other small retail shopkeepers operating in urban areas of the State.

He said that the scheme would apply to collateral-free business loans taken between 1st April 2020 and 31 March 2025. Cases involving willful default, fraud or malfeasance would not be covered under the scheme and banks would identify such cases to ensure that only deserving beneficiaries get the benefit. Loans covered under Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) or other guarantee trusts would be eligible only if the remaining uncovered amount was less than Rs. one lakh.

Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that applicants must be permanent residents of Himachal Pradesh, above 18 years of age and no family member of the applicant should be in regular government service. Applications would be submitted to the concerned Urban Local Bodies, which would verify and forward them to banks for further processing. Banks would submit monthly OTS claims through a Nodal Bank to the Urban Development Department and no processing or administrative fee would be charged from the beneficiaries.

The Chief Minister said that the scheme would help small shopkeepers clear their debts, close NPA accounts, revive their businesses and strengthen their economic condition, thereby contributing to inclusive growth and strengthening the urban economy of the state.