{"id":8857,"date":"2026-01-26T04:40:53","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T04:40:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857"},"modified":"2026-01-26T04:40:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T04:40:53","slug":"cm-unfurls-national-flag-at-pragpur-on-statehood-day-announces-major-welfare-and-development-initiatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857","title":{"rendered":"CM Unfurls National Flag at Pragpur on Statehood Day, Announces Major Welfare and Development Initiatives."},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

CM Unfurls National Flag at Pragpur on Statehood Day, Announces Major Welfare and Development Initiatives.<\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pragpur (Kangra):<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today unfurled the National Flag at Pragpur in Kangra district on the occasion of the 56th Statehood Day of Himachal Pradesh and took the salute from an impressive parade. This marked the first-ever Statehood Day function held at Pragpur. On the occasion, the Chief Minister announced a series of significant welfare, administrative and development measures, including clearance of pension arrears for senior pensioners, opening of new government offices, and the setting up of an Agriculture and Horticulture Commission.<\/p>\n

Extending warm Statehood Day greetings to the people of Himachal Pradesh, the Chief Minister recalled the historic contributions of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the first Chief Minister of the State, Dr. Y.S. Parmar, in securing full statehood for Himachal Pradesh.<\/p>\n

The parade was led by Parade Commander IPS officer Taruna and featured contingents from IRBN Jangalberi, IRBN Sakoh, IRBN Pandoh, Police District Nurpur, Home Guards Women Battalion Dharamshala, Home Guards Men and Women Battalion Dharamshala, SDRF Pandoh, Dharamshala Traffic Police, Van Mitras, NCC Government College Dhalyara, Scouts and Guides, among others.<\/p>\n

Major Announcements<\/h4>\n

Addressing the gathering, CM Sukhu announced the complete clearance of arrears of pensioners and family pensioners aged 70 years and above in January this year, involving an expenditure of Rs. 90 crore. He also announced that Class-IV employees who retired between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2021 would be paid an additional 50 percent of gratuity arrears and 70 percent of leave encashment arrears in January, entailing an expenditure of Rs. 96 crore.<\/p>\n

The Chief Minister announced the opening of a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) office at Pragpur and a Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Nalsuha in the Jaswan Assembly constituency.<\/p>\n

He further announced the constitution of an Agriculture and Horticulture Commission to ensure participation of farmers and orchardists and to safeguard their rights. A Bill for the formation of the Commission will be introduced in the upcoming Budget Session of the Legislative Assembly.<\/p>\n

Financial Challenges and Vision for the Future<\/h4>\n

Highlighting the State\u2019s financial position, CM Sukhu said that when the present government assumed office, liabilities exceeding Rs. 10,000 crore were left by the previous government on account of salary and pension arrears. At present, outstanding arrears related to salaries, pensions and other dues amount to Rs. 8,555 crore.<\/p>\n

Despite financial constraints, the Chief Minister said the government was committed to fulfilling its responsibilities. He stated that the preparation of the \u2018Samriddh Himachal Vision\u2019 document is in its final stage. The Vision Document, he said, would be prepared through extensive consultations with people, experts, institutions and the administration, keeping in view the State\u2019s environment, social traditions and aspirations of its people. The aim is to ensure environmentally sustainable, disaster-resilient and inclusive development.<\/p>\n

Centre-State Financial Issues<\/h4>\n

CM Sukhu pointed out that the previous BJP government had received Revenue Deficit Grants of Rs. 46,862 crore, whereas the present government has received only Rs. 18,903 crore so far. Total Central transfers during the BJP regime amounted to Rs. 1.16 lakh crore, compared to Rs. 70,191 crore received by the current government to date. He also highlighted the discontinuation of GST compensation during the present government\u2019s tenure.<\/p>\n

He said that despite restrictions on additional borrowing due to the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, the government has taken tough decisions to augment its own resources and cut non-essential expenditure. The State\u2019s own revenue, which stood at Rs. 55,000 crore during the previous government\u2019s five-year tenure, has reached Rs. 49,500 crore within just three years of the present government.<\/p>\n

Vyavastha Parivartan and Welfare Measures<\/h4>\n

The Chief Minister said the government has launched a major campaign for \u2018Vyavastha Parivartan\u2019 and would not allow exploitation of the State\u2019s resources. He informed that the government has won legal battles related to the Wild Flower Hall hotel and the Karcham-Wangtoo hydropower project, and is actively pursuing recovery of BBMB arrears and the return of the Baira Siul and Shanan hydropower projects.<\/p>\n

He reiterated the government\u2019s commitment to environmental conservation, stating that Himachal Pradesh functions as the \u201clungs of northern India\u201d and plays a vital role in maintaining ecological balance.<\/p>\n

CM Sukhu said that seven out of ten guarantees made during the Assembly elections have already been fulfilled. The Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Sammaan Nidhi Yojana, providing Rs. 1,500 per month to eligible women, is being implemented in a phased manner and will cover the entire State within two years.<\/p>\n

Farmers, Rural Economy and Social Security<\/h4>\n

Calling himself a \u201cson of a farmer,\u201d the Chief Minister said the government\u2019s priority is to ensure that benefits reach farmers directly. He said the issue of import duty on apples from New Zealand has been raised with the Union Government and the concerns of apple growers would be strongly pursued.<\/p>\n

He criticized changes in MGNREGA at the Centre, stating that its demand-driven character has been diluted. In contrast, the State government has increased MGNREGA wages from Rs. 247 to Rs. 320 per day and provided relief during peak agricultural seasons and disasters.<\/p>\n

The Chief Minister said the BPL selection criteria has been relaxed by removing the condition of owning a pucca house. For the first time, 27,717 families associated with IRDP for over 20 years will be provided pucca houses.<\/p>\n

Disaster Relief, Governance and Social Sectors<\/h4>\n

Referring to the natural disasters of 2023 and 2025, CM Sukhu said that despite inadequate assistance from the Centre, the State government stood firmly with disaster-affected people. Families whose houses were completely destroyed are being provided Rs. 8 lakh for reconstruction, along with enhanced compensation for other losses.<\/p>\n

He said that grievance redressal is a top priority and that 5,10,257 revenue cases have been disposed of through special revenue courts, setting a new record.<\/p>\n

The Chief Minister also highlighted reforms in health and education. The government has decided to spend Rs. 3,000 crore on replacing outdated medical equipment and has introduced robotic surgery for the first time in the State. In education, Himachal Pradesh has secured the 5th position nationally in quality education and ranks first in students\u2019 reading and learning levels.<\/p>\n

On the occasion, CM Sukhu released the web series \u2018The White Truth\u2019, produced by the Himachal Pradesh Gyan Vigyan Samiti, aimed at creating awareness among youth about drug abuse. A colourful cultural programme was also presented, and participants of the parade and cultural troupes were honoured.<\/p>\n

Several ministers, legislators, senior party leaders, officers and distinguished personalities were present at the event.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

CM Unfurls National Flag at Pragpur on Statehood Day, Announces Major Welfare and Development Initiatives.   Pragpur (Kangra):   Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today […]<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8858,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-himachal-news","category-latest-news"],"yoast_head":"\nCM Unfurls National Flag at Pragpur on Statehood Day, Announces Major Welfare and Development Initiatives. - The Eagle News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"CM Unfurls National Flag at Pragpur on Statehood Day, Announces Major Welfare and Development Initiatives. - The Eagle News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"CM Unfurls National Flag at Pragpur on Statehood Day, Announces Major Welfare and Development Initiatives.   Pragpur (Kangra):   Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Eagle News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-26T04:40:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG-20260126-WA0012.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"993\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857\",\"name\":\"CM Unfurls National Flag at Pragpur on Statehood Day, Announces Major Welfare and Development Initiatives. - The Eagle News\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-26T04:40:53+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-26T04:40:53+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/#\/schema\/person\/836b23196d8cf2a3340a0b6adb2d2cf4\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"CM Unfurls National Flag at Pragpur on Statehood Day, Announces Major Welfare and Development Initiatives.\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/\",\"name\":\"The Eagle News\",\"description\":\"Eagle News\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/#\/schema\/person\/836b23196d8cf2a3340a0b6adb2d2cf4\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b3813785621535057fd2f3870ecafe9dc3e7307140c68da3e0427080f45c50e6?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b3813785621535057fd2f3870ecafe9dc3e7307140c68da3e0427080f45c50e6?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/theeaglenews.in\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"CM Unfurls National Flag at Pragpur on Statehood Day, Announces Major Welfare and Development Initiatives. - The Eagle News","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"CM Unfurls National Flag at Pragpur on Statehood Day, Announces Major Welfare and Development Initiatives. - The Eagle News","og_description":"CM Unfurls National Flag at Pragpur on Statehood Day, Announces Major Welfare and Development Initiatives.   Pragpur (Kangra):   Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today […]","og_url":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857","og_site_name":"The Eagle News","article_published_time":"2026-01-26T04:40:53+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":993,"url":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG-20260126-WA0012.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857","url":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857","name":"CM Unfurls National Flag at Pragpur on Statehood Day, Announces Major Welfare and Development Initiatives. - The Eagle News","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/#website"},"datePublished":"2026-01-26T04:40:53+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-26T04:40:53+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/#\/schema\/person\/836b23196d8cf2a3340a0b6adb2d2cf4"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=8857#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"CM Unfurls National Flag at Pragpur on Statehood Day, Announces Major Welfare and Development Initiatives."}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/#website","url":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/","name":"The Eagle News","description":"Eagle News","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/#\/schema\/person\/836b23196d8cf2a3340a0b6adb2d2cf4","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b3813785621535057fd2f3870ecafe9dc3e7307140c68da3e0427080f45c50e6?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b3813785621535057fd2f3870ecafe9dc3e7307140c68da3e0427080f45c50e6?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/theeaglenews.in"],"url":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8857","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8857"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8857\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8859,"href":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8857\/revisions\/8859"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8857"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8857"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8857"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}