Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu sheds load, allocates own portfolios to ministers
Shimla, February 2
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today allotted to his Cabinet colleagues some departments he was holding. Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil was given the Sainik Welfare Department while Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan got the charge of the Labour and Employment Department.
Chief Minister uses electric car
- The state Transport Department was first in the country to adopt e-vehicles, a milestone in their commitment to environmental sustainability, said Sukhu
- On February 3 last year, the Transport Department was provided with 19 e-vehicles in 12 regional transport offices and the Transport Directorate. The Chief Minister, too, uses an e-vehicle
- The government has envisioned a green revolution by promoting widespread use of electric vehicles
Revenue and Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi was allotted the Redressal of Public Grievances Department, Education Minister Rohit Thakur got the charge of the Printing and Stationery Department while Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh was allocated the Urban Development portfolio.
Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani, who was inducted into the Cabinet in the last expansion, was given the charge of the Town and Country Panning and Housing departments while Ayush Department Minister Yadvinder Goma was allocated the Department of Law and legal Remembrance.
The Chief Minister tried to placate his ministers as some of them were reportedly unhappy with the change in portfolios last time after some departments held by them were given to Dharmani and Goma. Sukhu was holding around 24 departments and allocated some of these to other ministers. Besides Finance and Home, Sukhu still has the departments of energy, tourism, forest, civil supplies corporation and excise and taxation. There was still one vacancy in the Cabinet, which could be filled after the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said that the government had saved Rs 28.32 lakh by replacing 19 fossil-fuel based vehicles with electrical ones in the past one year.
He said, “Himachal will eventually become frontrunner in reducing the use of fossil fuels, which is a major step towards releasing the dream of making Himachal a green state by March 31, 2026. This eco-friendly decision has significantly reduced carbon footprint by 87.3 tonnes per year and the government has saved Rs 28.32 lakh by switching over to e-vehicles.”
He added that their endeavour to transform Himachal into a green energy state by March 31, 2026, had started yielding favourable results. The launch of 19 e-vehicles in the Transport Department had proved to be a game changer for both environment conservation and cost saving.
