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Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday engaged in a vibrant interactive session with the Students' Parliament (Chhatra Sansad), welcoming students from nearly 22 states across the country.
During the exchange, the Chief Minister shared personal anecdotes from his political journey, which began at the tender age of 17. He reflected on his evolution from his college days to serving as the President of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee and representing the Nadaun constituency as an MLA. Highlighting his unique path, he noted that his focus as Chief Minister always remained steadfast on his goals, eventually leading him to the state's highest office, where he has since gained profound insights into financial management and the complexities of administration. The Chief Minister underscored that the primary objective of his administration is "Vyavastha Parivartan", a systemic transformation aimed at making Himachal Pradesh self-reliant rather than merely exercising authority. He pointed out the state's developmental indicators and said that Himachal Pradesh was the country's 'happiest state'. He detailed an ambitious roadmap to transform Himachal towards a "Green State" by 2026, leveraging its natural bounty and river systems. According to the CM, with 14 thousand MW of hydel energy already being generated and a significant shift towards Solar power, the government aims to ensure that the benefits of these resources reach every one of the state's 75 lakh population. He proudly described Himachal as the "Water Bowl" and the "Lungs of Northern India," noting that Himachal Pradesh has reaffirmed its role as one of India's greenest and environmentally progressive states, registering a major increase in both forest and tree cover over the past two decades. The CM said that the vast snowbound landscapes exceed those of Switzerland; the state is uniquely positioned to lead in environmental preservation and in natural farming through robust Minimum Support Price (MSP) initiatives in the country. He informed the students that the state government was continuously working to end VIP culture in the state, and rationalisation was being done at various levels. A cornerstone of the Chief Minister's address was the 'Sukh Aashraya Yojna,' under which the state has legally adopted orphaned children as "Children of the State." According to the state government, this scheme covers all their needs, from pocket money and seasonal clothing to a provision of Rs. 75 lakh for those who want to pursue higher education at prestigious institutions like the IITs or IIMs. Besides highlighting the Sukh Shiksha Yojna, the Chief Minister further highlighted the government's commitment to youth empowerment. In the realm of education, the CM noted that Himachal boasts a literacy rate of 99.30 percent and is further modernizing its education sector by establishing Rajiv Gandhi day-boarding schools in every constituency and a vital measure to have introduced English from the first grade in all the government schools. Closing his address, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated that success demands dedication, honesty, transparency and modesty. Earlier, Vice President of Students Parliament India Aditya Vegda welcomed the Chief Minister and proposed a vote of thanks. (ANI)
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