Himachal Pradesh Moves Towards Self-Reliance, Aims to Become Most Prosperous State by 2032: CM Sukhu.
Shimla:
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that Himachal Pradesh is steadily moving from resource generation towards complete self-reliance, with a clear vision to become the most prosperous state in the country by 2032. He reiterated that the present Congress government is focused on strengthening the state’s economy through reforms, enhanced revenue mobilisation, green energy initiatives and responsible debt management.
The Chief Minister said that during the last two and a half years, the state has generated Rs. 26,683 crore from its own resources, marking an increase of Rs. 3,800 crore compared to the average revenue earned during the previous BJP government’s tenure. He attributed this growth to transparent policies and better utilisation of state assets.
Highlighting a major policy shift, CM Sukhu said that the government introduced an auction-cum-tender process for liquor vends, which resulted in a revenue of Rs. 5,408 crore. In contrast, only Rs. 1,114 crore was generated under the previous government, which followed a policy of annually renewing liquor licences with a 10 per cent fee hike instead of open auctions. “The income to the state exchequer increased considerably after the introduction of the auction-cum-tender system, something that was never seen during the BJP’s tenure,” he said.
The Chief Minister also spoke about the financial burden inherited from the previous government. He stated that the BJP left behind a debt of over Rs. 75,000 crore along with employee liabilities amounting to Rs. 10,000 crore. The present government is compelled to repay nearly 70 per cent of this inherited debt, including Rs. 12,266 crore in interest and Rs. 8,087 crore in principal. Of the total Rs. 29,046 crore loan taken by the current government so far, only Rs. 8,693 crore has been available for development works.
CM Sukhu highlighted the government’s success in reclaiming state assets, including the long-pending Wildflower Hall case. After a prolonged legal battle that began in 2002, the High Court in October 2025 declared the state as the sole owner of Mashobra Resort Limited (MRL). The judgment brought a financial benefit of approximately Rs. 401 crore, with assets such as bank balances and shareholdings worth Rs. 320 crore transferred to the state government. The property is expected to generate more than Rs. 20 crore annually in income.
He further said that consistent efforts by the present government led to enhanced royalty in the 1,000 MW Karcham-Wangtoo Hydroelectric Project. Following Supreme Court directions, JSW Energy will now pay an 18 per cent royalty instead of the earlier 12 per cent, generating an additional Rs. 150 crore per year for the state.
The state government has also amended lease rules, capping land leases for major projects, including hydropower, at 40 years instead of the earlier 99 years. Under this policy, projects such as 66 MW Dhaulasidh, 210 MW Luhri Phase-1 and 382 MW Sunni hydropower projects will be handed back to the state after 40 years, significantly boosting long-term revenue.
In addition, the government is pursuing ownership of the Shanan hydel project in Jogindernagar, as the land and project fall within Himachal Pradesh and the 99-year lease expired in March 2024. Efforts are also underway to secure Himachal’s legitimate 7.19 per cent share in Chandigarh’s land and assets, as upheld by the Supreme Court in 2011 under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966. The state is also actively following up on substantial pending energy arrears from the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).
The Chief Minister said that the government has mandated all public representatives, including MLAs, to pay rent at normal rates in Himachal Bhawan and state guest houses. Administrative reforms such as reducing the tender process timeline from 51 days to 30 days have also been implemented to improve efficiency and revenue generation.
“All these measures reflect the strong commitment of the present government to make Himachal Pradesh a self-reliant state,” CM Sukhu said, adding that such focused efforts were never pursued earlier with this level of effectiveness. “We are moving ahead with a clear vision to achieve complete self-reliance by 2027 and make Himachal Pradesh the most prosperous state by 2032,” he reiterated.
