Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday announced in the State Legislative Assembly that the government is prepared to amend the mining policy, ensuring transparency and preventing exploitation of state resources. He emphasized that all MLAs would be consulted before finalizing changes.
Intervening during a discussion on MLA Dr Janak Raj’s query, Sukhu stated that the state currently earns Rs 400 crore from mining, but the government aims to increase it to Rs 1,000 crore. “The wealth of the state should not be looted. Any past mistakes will be corrected, and we will explore ways to reclaim lost resources,” he asserted.
The discussion arose amid concerns over a 165-bigha land lease in Chamba district allegedly being allotted without an auction. Industry Minister Harsh Vardhan Chauhan clarified that the case originated in 2015, with approvals granted before the policy changes in 2018. He added that since then, no government land over five bighas has been leased without an auction.
Chauhan further informed the House that 322 mining leases were issued between 2016 and 2019, but forest clearance (FCA) had been obtained for only two so far. He assured that the government would not take any step that could lead to legal complications. To ensure fair access, large mining sites will be divided into smaller plots, reducing financial burdens on leaseholders.
BJP Protests Outside Assembly, Accuses Cong Govt of ‘Mafia Raj’, Corruption
The Opposition BJP on Thursday staged a massive protest outside the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, alleging that the Congress government had plunged the state into mafia rule, rampant corruption, and a deteriorating law and order situation.
Addressing the gathering, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur lashed out at the Sukhu Government, claiming that crime had spiraled out of control, with contract killings even taking place in the once-peaceful Devbhoomi Himachal. He cited the recent attack on a former Congress MLA on Holi as an example of the lawlessness gripping the state.
Thakur also criticized the Congress government for refusing a CBI probe into the mysterious death of Chief Engineer Vimal Negi, questioning what the government had to hide. He alleged irregularities in power project allocations and slammed the regime for failing to fulfill pre-poll guarantees, including one lakh jobs per year and 300 units of free electricity.
State BJP president Rajeev Bindal said that the Congress government had driven Himachal into a Rs one lakh crore debt trap while allowing the liquor, mining, drug, and transfer mafia to thrive. “This rally is a cry against mafia raj, as Devbhoomi is turning into a chitta (drug) state,” Bindal warned.
BJP state in-charge Srikant Sharma accused the Sukhu government of shielding the drug mafia, vowing that once the BJP returned to power, it would wipe out the drug network and launch a booth-level chargesheet against the Congress regime.
Calling for a Congress-mukt Himachal, BJP leaders urged the people to overthrow the corrupt government and restore governance under BJP rule.
