Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday announced that government doctors in the state will not retire until March 31, 2027, as part of a series of measures for employees, healthcare workers and pensioners during his Independence Day address.
Speaking at the state-level function in Barsar, Hamirpur, Sukhu said Class IV employees would receive their pending salary arrears of Rs 20,000 by the end of August. He also announced a Rs 1,000 monthly increase in the incentive paid to around 9,000 ASHA workers, raising it from Rs 5,800 to Rs 6,800 with effect from April 1, 2026.
Under the National Health Mission, outsourced staff nurses, pharmacists, operation theatre assistants and laboratory technicians will receive a monthly salary of Rs 25,000, while data entry operators will be paid Rs 18,000.
Sukhu further announced that Class I and Class II pensioners and family pensioners would receive 15 per cent of their pending arrears this month, involving an expenditure of Rs 281 crore.
The Chief Minister also announced the launch of the Indira Gandhi Matri Shishu Sankalp Yojana, aimed at improving nutrition among women and children. The pilot programme will begin in 21 blocks on October 2.
Under the scheme, the existing distribution of rice, pulses, oil, biscuits, panjiri and milk powder will be supplemented with nutritious packaged premix food, along with milk or eggs three times a week. Sukhu cited findings from the latest National Family Health Survey to claim that health indicators among women and children in the state had improved.
SUKHU'S MESSAGE TO GEN Z
Making a direct appeal to Gen Z, Sukhu said his government remained committed to merit-based and transparent recruitment. He claimed that thousands of young people had secured government jobs and asserted that no paper leak had occurred in any recruitment process under the current government.
He also highlighted initiatives in agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and fisheries intended to help rural families earn between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000 a month while continuing to live in their villages. According to Sukhu, the state's horticulture policy is expected to generate employment for around 82,200 people.
The Apna Parivar Sukhi Parivar scheme, scheduled to launch on October 2, will focus on increasing household incomes over the next two years.
FOCUS ON DAIRY AND DRINKING WATER
Sukhu said Himachal Pradesh's first milk processing plant, with a capacity of 1.5 lakh litres per day, is being established at Daghwar in Kangra district at a cost of approximately Rs 250 crore.
An additional Rs 150 crore will be spent on upgrading milk-processing infrastructure in Solan, Una, Sirmaur, Shimla, Mandi, Kullu and Hamirpur.
He also announced that a Rs 2,000 crore scheme was being implemented to improve the availability of clean drinking water across all Assembly constituencies.
Sukhu maintained that Himachal Pradesh's economy was recovering despite financial pressures and the Centre's discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant. He reiterated his ambition of making the state one of India's richest by 2032.
