Ensure strict crackdown on illegal mining and drugs menace: CM

While presiding over the second day of the DC-SP Conference here today, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu initiated discussions with officers of Hamirpur, Mandi, Kangra, Kullu, Sirmaur, Shimla, and Solan districts and directed them to focus on good governance in their respective districts.

He directed the Deputy Commissioners to review the state government’s flagship scheme at the sub-division level and the report should be submitted by 31 December, 2024. He stated that the state government has introduced new performance-based rules for the annual appraisal reports of all DCs and SPs, shifting from the previous descriptive grading system to a numerical grading approach for officer assessments.

He directed them to take stringent actions against illegal mining and drug abuse. He emphasized involving the community to curb illegal mining effectively. He also said that the state government is contemplating the creation of a dedicated wing led by an IG-level officer to intensify actions against drug abuse. The Chief Minister highlighted the state government’s commitment to making every possible effort to protect the youth from falling prey to drugs.

He directed the Deputy Commissioners to expedite FCA clearances to facilitate the timely implementation of various development projects for public benefit. He emphasized that any delays in processing FCA cases will lead to accountability measures for the responsible officers.

He further stated that the state government is actively working to strengthen the rural economy. Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to fix the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for milk, with the current rates at Rs. 45 per litre for cow’s milk and Rs. 55 per litre for buffalo’s milk. Additionally, MSPs have been offered for crops produced through natural farming, with wheat priced at Rs. 40 per kilogram and maize at Rs. 30 per kilogram. He also instructed Deputy Commissioners to identify suitable land for solar projects promptly, as part of an initiative to establish green panchayats throughout the State.

Shri Sukhu stated that the State Government has adopted 6,000 orphaned children as 'Children of the State'. He instructed the Deputy Commissioners to provide counseling to orphans who have attained the age of 18 years, informing them about the various provisions of the Mukhyamantri Sukhashray Yojana so that they can fully benefit from it. He also said that the powers to approve exposure tours for interested orphaned children would be delegated to the DC level so that they may not face any inconvenience in undertaking such exposure visits.

To address the problem of stray animals, the Chief Minister directed Deputy Commissioners to identify land for constructing cow shelters at district headquarters. He emphasized that stray animals pose a hazard on roads, leading to accidents and creating challenges for farmers and directed district administrations to prioritize this issue. Additionally, he directed Deputy Commissioners to identify vacant government buildings in their districts and relocate government offices currently operating in rented spaces to these vacant facilities.

Sh. Sukhu asked Deputy Commissioners to promote tourism activities in their districts, as this remains a top priority for the government. “The state government is focusing on tourism, hydropower, data storage, and food processing sectors, with a strong commitment to promoting green industries in Himachal Pradesh,” he added.

During the meeting, the DCs and SPs of seven districts presented detailed updates on the progress and accomplishments of various schemes and projects being implemented in their respective districts.

Principal Advisor to Chief Minister Ram Subhag Singh, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Director General of Police Atul Verma, Administrative secretaries and various heads of departments also participated in this conference.