SHIMLA-30.05.26

BJP making false claims of victory in Panchayat elections, Congress receiving massive support: Naresh Chauhan

· Sukhu Govt. opens new avenues for border tourism

Principal Advisor (Media) to the Chief Minister, Naresh Chauhan today in a press statement said here that the BJP is making exaggerated and misleading claims about its performance in the local body and panchayat elections, while feedback received by the Congress party from across the state indicates that a large number of Congress-supported candidates have emerged victorious. He said that the BJP is attempting to create a perception of victory through the media, which is far away from the ground reality.

He said that the Congress-backed candidates would also emerged victorious in the Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad elections, as voters across the state appear to be showing clear support for the Congress party.

Speaking on tourism, Naresh Chauhan said that Himachal Pradesh’s tourism sector had suffered significant setbacks due to the natural disasters of 2023 and 2025. However, the sector is now witnessing a strong recovery, with tourist footfall increasing steadily in major destinations such as Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Palampur, Dalhousie and Kasauli.

Lauding the tourism development initiatives of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, he said that the state government has designated Kangra as the tourism capital of Himachal Pradesh and has launched several major projects to boost tourism in the district. He said that the expansion of Kangra Airport is underway and helipads are being developed in different parts of the state. Various tourism projects being implemented with the support of the Asian Development Bank are also progressing rapidly. These initiatives were expected to attract high-end tourists and significantly enhance the income and livelihood opportunities of local residents.

Naresh Chauhan further said that the government has introduced key reforms in the Home-stay Policy to create self-employment opportunities, particularly for youth and people living in rural areas. These measures would strengthen the rural economy and open new avenues of income generation. He said that the government’s objective was to make tourism the largest and most sustainable pillar of economy of the state.

He further said that due to the sustained efforts of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, significant progress has been made towards reviving border trade with Tibet through the Shipki-La route after a long gap. This will generate employment opportunities and boost tourism and economic activity in border areas. He said that the launch of border tourism in the state was also a result of the Chief Minister’s efforts and was already benefiting local communities.

Naresh Chauhan said that the Congress party respects all religions, castes and communities and remains committed to preserving social harmony and unity. He said that the BJP’s divisive politics has not contributed positively to the development or prosperity of the state. He emphasized that the nation’s strength and progress are rooted in the unity of people across all faiths and backgrounds. He further stressed that public policies and decisions should be driven by the broader objectives of social harmony and public welfare, rather than by narrow political considerations.

========================================

Dope test of individuals to be made mandatory prior to joining government service: CM

  • Asks departments to clear dues of Class-IV pensioners

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu while chairing a meeting with Administrative Secretaries here on Friday late evening directed all the departments to ensure early payments of pending gratuity and leave encashment dues of Class-IV pensioners as per his budget announcement. He also asked to provide complete details of applicants seeking employment on compassionate grounds so that the state government could take an appropriate decision on these cases.

The Chief Minister sought details of the action taken against government employees found involved in trafficking of chitta (heroin). He said that the state government had launched a mass movement against chitta and was taking stringent action against the drug mafia. He added that protecting the youth from the menace of drug abuse remains a top priority of the government. He directed all departments to issue necessary instructions to make dope testing mandatory for the individuals prior to joining government service.

Sh. Sukhu also sought information from all departments regarding vacant posts so that these positions could be filled at the earliest. He said that the state government had decided to fill 500 posts of Junior Office Assistant (IT).

The Chief Minister directed the officials to compile information on trees uprooted or felled on forest land due to recent storms, so that they could be removed in a time-bound manner. A special campaign for this purpose would commence from 1st June. He added that delays in removing fallen trees result in loss to the State’s resources and directed Forest department officers to ensure their prompt removal and timely disposal on a priority basis.

Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta, Additional Chief Secretaries K.K. Pant and Onkar Chand Sharma, Principal Secretary Devesh Kumar, Secretaries to the Chief Minister Rakesh Kanwar and Ashish Singhmar, along with other Administrative Secretaries attended the meeting.