Butail denies drawing perks, travelling allowance from state government

Gokul Butail, Principal Adviser (Digital Technology, Innovation and Governance) to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, yesterday said that reports appearing in social media and web channels that he was drawing perks and travelling allowance from the state government were not based on facts. He added that in fact, he was drawing only Re 1 salary from the government, paying house rent from his pocket and using his own vehicle.

He said that a sinister campaign had been launched against the Chief Minister’s advisers in social media by some vested interests to mislead people and tarnish their image. He added that he was deeply hurt when he saw a report on social media that he was drawing perks and travelling allowance from the government.

Butail said that another issue that had gone viral on social media pertained to the role of the advisers in the government. In the past three years, he had done a lot for the digitisation of several public schemes of the government and the payment of cess, fee and other charges through online portals. He added that being the Principal Adviser (Digital Technology, Innovation and Governance), his main job was to enhance leadership capabilities through technological innovation.

He also underlined the commitment of the government, under the leadership of Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, towards establishing the state as a digital hub. He added that in the past three years, the state had made significant strides in digitising departmental services and integrating digital technologies across governance sectors.

Butail said that because of the Chief Minister’s efforts, the government had introduced artificial intelligence (AI) courses in educational institutions to prepare the youth for future challenges and opportunities. These steps were aimed at fostering a digitally-skilled generation and promoting innovation-driven growth.

He expressed confidence that the government’s forward-looking initiatives in digital technology would elevate Himachal Pradesh’s position on the global innovation map.