Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday engaged in an interactive session with the Students’ Parliament (Chhatra Sansad), welcoming student delegates from nearly 22 states across the country.
During the interaction, the Chief Minister shared personal anecdotes from his political journey, which began at the age of 17. He reflected on his evolution from his college days to serving as President of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee and representing the Nadaun constituency as an MLA.
Highlighting his journey, he said his focus as Chief Minister has always remained on clear goals, which eventually led him to the state’s highest office, giving him profound insights into financial management and administrative challenges.
The Chief Minister said the primary objective of his government is “Vyavastha Parivartan”, a systemic transformation aimed at making Himachal Pradesh self-reliant rather than merely exercising authority. Referring to key development indicators, he said Himachal Pradesh is the country’s ‘happiest state’.
He detailed an ambitious roadmap to transform Himachal Pradesh into a “Green State” by 2026, leveraging its natural bounty and river systems.
With 14,000 MW of hydel power already being generated and a significant shift towards solar energy, the government aims to ensure that the benefits reach
the state’s population of nearly 75 lakh.
He described Himachal as the “Water Bowl” and the “Lungs of Northern India”, noting that the state has witnessed a significant increase in forest and tree cover over the past two decades. With snowbound landscapes larger than Switzerland, the state is uniquely positioned to lead in environmental preservation and natural farming through robust Minimum Support Price (MSP) initiatives.
He informed the students that the state government is continuously working to end VIP culture and that rationalisation is being carried out at various levels.
A key highlight of the address was the ‘Sukh Aashraya Yojna’, under which the state has legally adopted orphaned children as “Children of the State”. The scheme covers all their needs, including pocket money, seasonal clothing and a provision of Rs 75 lakh for those who want to pursue higher education at prestigious institutions such as IITs and IIMs. He also highlighted the ‘Sukh Shiksha Yojna’ and reiterated the government’s commitment to youth empowerment.
On education, he said Himachal Pradesh has a literacy rate of 99.30 per cent and is modernising the education sector by establishing Rajiv Gandhi day-boarding schools in every constituency. He also highlighted the introduction of English from Class I in all government schools.
Concluding his address, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu advised students that success requires dedication, honesty, transparency and humility.
Students also raised questions on various issues during the interaction.
Earlier, Vice President of Students’ Parliament India, Aditya Vegda, welcomed the Chief Minister and proposed a vote of thanks. The session was attended by several dignitaries.
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