Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said Himachal Pradesh has always had to fight for its rightful share on many issues. He said even though the lease period of the Shanan hydroelectric project has expired, Punjab has not returned it. He also said arrears from the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) have been delayed because of objections raised by Punjab and Haryana, despite a Supreme Court ruling in Himachal’s favour.
“Punjab and Haryana are our elder brothers, and they should extend support generously to their younger brother,” he said.
He stated this at the closing session of the two-day National Cooperative Conference in Shimla, where he inaugurated the Cyber Security Operations Centre of Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Bank. He also launched the cooperative anthem of the bank and released a souvenir.
The Chief Minister said despite tough geography and small land holdings, cooperatives in Himachal have been vital in strengthening the rural economy. He recalled that the cooperative movement began in 1904 and grew stronger after Himachal achieved complete statehood in 1971. Today, there are more than 5,000 cooperative societies, including nearly 2,000 primary agricultural credit societies that provide financial services to farmers and rural households.
Responding to Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Sukhu said the government would consider relaxations under Section 118 so that cooperative societies could purchase land for business purposes. He also asked the State Cooperative Bank to bring a one-time settlement policy to help small farmers, orchardists, workers, and traders become debt-free.
The chief minister said the state government had dissolved the Board of Kangra Central Cooperative Bank because of the irregularities during the previous regime. He stressed that his government would not tolerate misuse of public resources. He added that his government was introducing reforms in education, health, and the rural economy.
Emphasising on the recent progress, Sukhu said Himachal had moved from 21st to 5th position in the country’s education rankings in 2025 and was now aiming for the top spot. He reminded that Himachal had kept its pride of being a fully literate state. On health reforms, he said "Modern equipment is being provided in leading hospitals, with an outlay of Rs 300 crore this year. Robotic surgery has already been introduced in two government health institutions to offer better treatment to the people of the state."
Despite suffering losses of nearly Rs 20,000 crore because of natural calamities over the past three years, the hill state has continued to sustain the pace of development, Sukhu said. He praised the safe rescue of 16,000 devotees stranded during the Manimahesh Yatra in Chamba, saying it showed the compassion and service spirit deeply rooted in Himachal’s culture. Local communities ensured no pilgrim went hungry or unattended.
To boost the rural economy, Sukhu said women’s self-help groups were being promoted under the ‘Him-Era’ brand. He added that milk procurement had gone up after a record Rs 21 per litre hike in prices, with MILKFED now collecting 2.5 lakh litres daily from farmers. Natural farming is also being encouraged with assured support prices. Women and youth groups are being linked to forest conservation activities with incentives.
Union Minister of State for Cooperatives Krishna Pal Gurjar congratulated Himachal on becoming 100 per cent literate. He highlighted the Centre’s efforts under Union Minister Amit Shah to strengthen the cooperative sector. He mentioned the launch of “Sehkaar Taxi Sewa,” which could benefit Himachal’s tourism industry. He also suggested linking Himachal’s cooperative institutions with the newly established Tribhuvan Sehkari University and assured that hill states would be considered for special fee concessions.
Deputy CM Agnihotri said the cooperative movement in Himachal began in 1892 from Panjawar in Una district and has since made great progress. Today, cooperative banks in the state hold deposits worth nearly Rs 60,000 crore, and people’s trust in cooperatives must be maintained, he added.
Uttarakhand Cooperative Minister Dhan Singh Rawat said more than 10 lakh farmers in Uttarakhand had received loans through cooperatives, and the state was now aiming to connect 15 lakh people, with a special focus on women’s empowerment.
Health Minister Dr (Col) Dhani Ram Shandil, HP State Cooperative Bank Chairman Devender Shyam, Jogindra Central Bank Chairman Mukesh Sharma, HP State Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Chairman Sanjay Singh Chauhan, HIMUDA Vice Chairman Yashwant Chhajta, NAFSCOB Chairman K Ravindra Rao, Joint Secretary to the Government of India Raman Kumar and representatives of cooperative bodies from across the country also attended the event.
Also Read: Himachal an ideal state for cooperatives: Union MoS Gurjar
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