Thrust on green energy as Himachal CM Sukhvinder Sukhu presents his maiden budget
The CM said the government intends to make Himachal a green energy state by March 31, 2026, and apart from hydropower, the focus will be on promoting alternative clean energy, including solar energy.
Presenting his maiden budget in the state assembly, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday announced a slew of green energy schemes, aimed at promoting clean energy and reducing fossil fuel consumption in the state.
This included subsidy on electric vehicles and solar power plant. Sending out a green message, the chief minister himself commuted to the Vidhan Sabha from his official residence Oakover in an electric car.
Hitting out the previous dispensation, Sukhu said that the “flawed policies of the previous BJP government” has left the state in debt.
He said the state’s economy has been hit due to the Central Government stopping the GST compensation since June 2022 and the cut in the fiscal deficit grant.
“Still, I assure that we won’t let this effect the state’s development and the Congress government will work to take Himachal to new heights,” he said.
The CM said the government intends to make Himachal a green energy state by March 31, 2026, and apart from hydropower, the focus will be on promoting alternative clean energy, including solar energy.
“Two panchayats in each district will be made green energy panchayats, with solar energy plants of capacity 500KW to 1MW,” he said.
“Youth of the state would be given 40% subsidy for setting up solar energy plants on their owned or leased land,” said the chief minister.
The state electricity board will buy electricity from these plants and youth will earn upto ₹15 lakh per year from a plant of capacity 250KW.
Also, Himachal will be developed as a model state for EVs. Apart from announcing 50% subsidy, upto maximum of ₹50 lakh on purchase of e-buses, e-trucks, and setting up charging stations, the CM also announced to develop more than a dozen national highways as green corridors.
The CM said all diesel buses of HRTC fleet will be replaced with electric buses.
In the first phase, 1,500 buses will be replaced for which ₹1,000 crore will be spent, said Sukhu as he announced to set up an e-us depot at Nadaun, his home constituency.
The CM said the government will also promote green hydrogen. Sukhu also said that after coming to power, his government restored the Old Pension Scheme for employees, and the cabinet has passed a resolution seeking the central government to return ₹8,000 crore NPS Fund to the state.
Working hours of docs to be reduced
In the health sector, the chief minister announced to open emergency medicine department in medical colleges and reduce the working hours of the doctors to eight hours.
Announcing to set up HP Medical Service Corporation, the CM said Model Medical Centres will be set up in all 68 assembly constituencies.
A total of ₹150 crore would be spent on critical care units while a nuclear medicine department will be opened in Dr Radhakrishan Medical College, Hamirpur. Besides ₹50 crore have been proposed for installation of PET scan machines in all medical colleges.
