SHIMLA (<yashutkarsh13@gmail.com>), 09.11.24-Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today in Mumbai, said that the Congress ideology has laid the strong foundation for a progressive India. This vision, he said, stems from the vision of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, who implemented policies prioritizing national interests and setting India on the path to development.
The Chief Minister shared that upon his arrival at the Maharashtra Congress office in Mumbai, Congress leader Pawan Khera offered him a samosa. He humorously asked if the politics here was focused on samosas or on crucial issues like development and respect for women. “Truth always confronts falsehood,” he added, “but in the end, it is truth that prevails.”
He highlighted the similarities in the political situations of Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh, stating that the ‘Operation Lotus’ strategy was attempted by BJP during the Rajya Sabha elections in Himachal Pradesh. He said that ever since this operation failed in Himachal, efforts have been made to defame the state. However, he said that the Congress government in Himachal faced ‘Operation Lotus’ like a battle, with the people reaffirming their support by electing Congress back with a strength of 40 MLAs. As a result, he said, negative propaganda, including posts on social media by the Prime Minister, is being spread against Himachal Pradesh. Sh. Sukhu stated that the people of Maharashtra, too, must decide if democracy is strengthened by such tactics, including the attempts to topple elected Congress governments through monetary influence.
He expressed the commitment of the Congress government to make Himachal Pradesh self-reliant by 2027 and one of the nation’s most prosperous states by 2032. To achieve this, the government is implementing policy reforms aimed at ensuring that policies and programmes reaches the last person in society.
The Chief Minister noted that within less than two years, his government has fulfilled five major guarantees. These include the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme for the government employees in the first cabinet meeting, the introduction of English medium education from Class 1 in government schools, and the provision of a monthly pension of Rs. 1,500 to women over the age of 18 years. He also stated that Himachal Pradesh is the first state to legally ensure care for orphans up to the age of 27, and it additionally supports the education expenses of children of widows and single mothers. Furthermore, Himachal Pradesh is the only state in the country to provide a minimum support price for milk, with rates increased from Rs. 32 to Rs. 45 per liter for cow’s milk and from Rs. 47 to Rs. 55 per liter for buffalo’s milk.
The Chief Minister said that the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh is committed to its promises and is actively working beyond these guarantees. He reiterated that helping the underprivileged remains the moral responsibility of the state.