Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while presiding over the opening session of the DC-SP Conference here today, interacted with officers from Una, Bilaspur, Chamba, Kinnaur, and Lahaul-Spiti districts and directed them to expedite the implementation of the State Government’s flagship schemes so that people could derive benefits out of them. The Chief Minister said special attention was being given to ensure good governance and transparency. He directed to adhere strictly to the state government’s directives and any negligence would be viewed seriously.
Sukhu further said that the State Government has outlined a clear roadmap for Himachal Pradesh’s development in its budget, with many of these initiatives being given practical shape. He asked all DCs and SPs to submit suggestions for improving governance, ensuring that better services reach people at their doorsteps promptly. The Chief Minister reiterated the state government’s commitment to transforming Himachal Pradesh into a self-reliant State through these progressive changes.
The Chief Minister also directed that all DCs and SPs should dedicate two days in a week in their offices to address public grievances, rather than focusing on tours. “An SOP regarding this will be issued soon by the State Government in this regard, he said adding that DCs should prioritize resolving public grievances.” Additionally, the Chief Minister instructed DCs to personally oversee the resolution of pending revenue cases in their districts and to hold regular meetings with revenue officials to ensure timely disposal of such cases.
He praised the Bilaspur administration for initiating water sports activities at Gobind Sagar Lake and instructed the Una district administration to implement a similar model to create additional employment and self-employment opportunities for local youth. Sukhu assured that the State Government was fully committed to modernize and equip the police force with advanced technology in police operations. He also emphasized the government’s ongoing efforts to combat the drug menace over the past month, stating that the fight against the drug mafia will be intensified to protect the younger generation from following prey to drugs abuse.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister released the ‘District Good Governance Index 2023-24’. Kangra, which secured the top position, was awarded a prize of Rs. 50 lakh, while Bilaspur, in second place, received Rs. 35 lakh. Hamirpur, which placed third, was granted Rs. 25 lakh and a certificate of appreciation. He presented cheques of this amount to Deputy Commissioners of these districts on the occasion. He also released ‘Statistical Abstract 2023-2024’ booklet.
Shri Sukhu said that ‘Good Government with Good Governance’ was imperative for welfare of people of the State. He also shared that district is the basic unit of field administration and governance, implementation of schemes and programmes for well being of citizens, performance of the district on various critical governance indicators must be measured for inclusive development. He said that there is a need to change the development paradigm in the State given the present situation and the forthcoming challenges. Himachal has performed better than many other States on different development indicators relating to education, health, electricity supply, water supply and several other areas and has emerged as a model State for inclusive and equitable development, he added.
Earlier, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena said that Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has outlined a clear roadmap for the State’s development, asking all DCs and SPs to work towards meeting the expectations set by the State Government. He said that the government has taken several important and bold decisions over the past two years, with a strong emphasis on resource mobilization. He emphasized that DCs and SPs play a crucial role in fulfilling the priorities of the state government.
During the meeting, the DCs and SPs of five districts presented detailed updates on the progress and accomplishments of various schemes and projects being implemented in their respective districts. Secretary, Administrative Reforms C Paulrasu welcomed the Chief Minister on the occasion. Principal Advisor to Chief Minister Ram Subhag Singh, Director General of Police Atul Verma, Administrative Secretaries and various Heads of Departments also participated in this conference.
