Jai Ram Thakur

Himachal Assembly speaker suspends 15 BJP MLAs, adjourns House

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on Wednesday suspended 15 BJP MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, and adjourned the House. They were suspended for misbehaviour and shouting slogans in the House. "We are apprehensive that Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania might suspend the BJP MLAs so that the budget can be passed in the Vidhan Sabha," Thakur told reporters earlier in the morning. He said the Rajya Sabha election had made it clear that the Congress government was in minority and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. The move comes a day after the BJP on Tuesday won the state's lone Rajya Sabha seat with its candidate Harsh Mahajan defeating Congress stalwart Abhishek Manu Singhvi due to cross-voting by MLAs of the state's ruling Congress party.

'India can never forget Atalji,' says former Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur

Speaking on the occasion, Thakur noted Atal Bihari Vajpayee's special bond with Himachal Pradesh and referred to achievements during his leadership

Congress not implementing '10 guarantees' in Himachal: Jai Ram Thakur

The Congress which came to power in Himachal Pradesh in 2022 by promising "Ten Guarantees" failed to implement them even after one-year of its rule, former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur alleged on Thursday. He also said the BRS led by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao runs the family-led dispensation in the state and that he came to know that there is no department left without corruption. Seeking votes for BJP candidates in Telangana assembly polls, Thakur said the country is progressing under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and there is a need that Telangana should also play an important role in further strengthening it. Citing Congress's guarantees in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP leader said the grand old party had promised that they would deposit Rs 1,500 monthly into the bank accounts of every woman aged above 15 years, but even after one-year, not even a single woman received the money. "Himachal Pradesh is a power-surplus state. The Congr

India vs New Zealand: BJP, Congress leaders attend match in Dharamshala

Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur and BJP national president J P Nadda were in attendance

Jai Ram Thakur meets HM Amit Shah, discusses flood situation in state

A total of 88 people have lost their lives in the state since June 24 as rain continues to hit Himachal, an official statement issued by Himachal Pradesh state disaster management authority said

Aggressive strategy to be adopted to corner Cong in Budget: Jai Ram Thakur

An aggressive strategy would be formulated to pin down the ruling Congress party during the upcoming Himachal Pradesh assembly budget session, leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur said on Thursday. Several important issues were discussed during a meeting of the BJP legislature party held here on Thursday, he said, adding the party would be in an aggressive mode in the budget session commencing March 14. The ongoing signature campaign of the BJP against the closing of health, education, revenue and other institutions opened during the previous BJP government was reviewed and discussions were also held in regard to organisational elections, Thakur said. Congress leaders are talking about the price rise but surprisingly it is the same Congress government that increased the VAT on diesel by Rs 3, he said.

Imbalanced regional representation in new Himachal cabinet: Jai Ram Thakur

The Congress government has failed to give adequate representation to various regions in the cabinet expansion on Sunday, Leader of Opposition in Himachal Pradesh Assembly Jai Ram Thakur alleged here. The BJP leader and former chief minister also criticised the government over the appointment of six chief parliamentary secretaries, saying it would put a burden of crores of rupees on the state exchequer. Out of the 13 appointments made by the Congress government, eight MLAs have been appointed from Shimla parliamentary constituency while the rest of the three parliamentary constituencies have not been given adequate share, Thakur said in a statement here. Taking a dig at the Congress government, he said during the three days of assembly session that concluded recently, the Congress leaders talked about reducing the expenditure in Himachal but now they have appointed six CPS and put additional burden on the state exchequer. He said that as of now Himachal is under a debt of Rs 74,622

Jai Ram Thakur recognised as Leader of Opposition in Himachal Assembly

Former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, named leader of the BJP legislative party in Himachal Pradesh, was on Monday recognised as the Leader of Opposition by Protem Speaker Chander Kumar. The Vidhan Sabha has already issued a notification in this regard. The Congress wrested Himachal Pradesh from the BJP in the November state polls winning 40 seats in the 68-member assembly. The saffron party won 25 seats while three went to Independents. Thakur, a six-time MLA, won from Seraj with the highest margin. The former chief minister was elected unanimously as all the 24 BJP MLAs proposed his name for the post on Sunday. A meeting of the BJP MLAs was held here and it was attended by Thakur, the party's state unit chief Suresh Kashyap, state unit in-charge and co-incharge Avinash Rai Khanna and Sanjay Tandon, respectively, and central observer Vinod Tawda. Later, Thakur submitted to the governor a memorandum opposing the new Congress government "de-notifying of functional institutions" op

PM Modi sounds election bugle in Himachal Pradesh, literally

The previous governments only laid foundation stones and forgot about the actual projects once the elections were over, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Wednesday as he sounded the poll bugle literally -- in Himachal Pradesh. At a rally held here Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur presented the PM with a Ransingha, a trumpet-like traditional instrument. Modi played it and later said, This marks the beginning of each future victory. He said the BJP government not only lays the stones but also inaugurates the development projects. He was addressing the meeting at the Luhnu ground after inaugurating an AIIMS hospital and a hydro engineering college, the foundations stones for which were laid by him in 2017. The BJP government in Himachal Pradesh hopes to return to power after the assembly polls before this year-end. Modi headed next to Kullu to witness the Dussehra celebrations there. The PM was scheduled to visit Mandi in the state on September 24, but couldn't make it to the rally ve

PM Modi to inaugurate AIIMS-Bilaspur on Oct 5, says Jai Ram Thakur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate the AIIMS in Bilaspur to people on October 5, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Saturday. Thakur was speaking at a cultural event organised by the Students' Central Association of Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College at Tanda, near Dharamsala. He said Modi will inaugurate the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bilaspur on October 5 and this will be another proud moment for the people of the state. Thakur said for the first time in the history of Himachal Pradesh, 500 new posts of doctors are being filled in one go. The chief minister announced an increase in the monthly stipend amount for trainee MBBS students from Rs 17,000 to Rs 20,000 and also announced a sum of Rs 5 lakh from his discretionary fund for the organisers of the event. "Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College is emerging as a top medical college of the country," Thakur said on the occasion. He noted that according to a .

216 projects worth Rs 713 crore will make Shimla smart city: CM Thakur

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday said that 216 projects worth Rs 713 crore had been approved for Shimla under Smart City Mission

Bulk Drug Pharma Park will ensure pharma units stay in Himachal: CM Thakur

CM Jai Ram Thakur called on Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya at New Delhi on Wednesday and thanked the Union Minister for allocating Bulk Drug Pharma Park to Himachal Pradesh.

Himachal: PM Modi to address youth rally in Mandi on Sept 24 ahead of polls

Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a youth rally in Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur's home district Mandi next week. PM Modi will address the youth rally to be organised by the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha at Paddal Maidan in Mandi on September 24, Thakur said while addressing a public meeting in Mandi on Wednesday. Himachal Pradesh is likely to go to polls in November this year. Earlier, the CM inaugurated Government Senior Secondary School Dharbar Thach building constructed at a cost of Rs 2.43 crore in his assembly segment Seraj. Thakur said that new initiatives were taken to ensure basic facilities in the education sector in Seraj area. Strong infrastructure was developed to provide higher and vocational education to the students, he added. The CM also announced to start post-graduate classes in political science and English in Government College Lambathach. He said the budget would also be ma

NHPC inks pact with Himachal Pradesh govt for 500 MW Dugar hydro project

State-owned hydro power giant NHPC has inked a pact with the Himachal Pradesh government for the implementation of 500 MW Dugar Hydroelectric Project in Chamba district. "Implementation agreement for 500 MW Dugar Hydro Electric Project located in Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh, was signed between NHPC Limited and government of Himachal Pradesh on August 26, 2022 at Shimla," a statement said. The agreement was signed in the presence of Jai Ram Thakur, Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh, and A K Singh, Chairman & Managing Director, NHPC Limited. The document was signed by Suresh Kumar, General Manager (E), NHPC, and Harikesh Meena, Director (Energy), Directorate of Energy (DoE), Himachal Pradesh. Earlier, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 449 MW Dugar Hydro Electric Project was signed between NHPC and government of Himachal Pradesh on September 25, 2019. Subsequent to signing of the MoU, NHPC carried out detailed survey and investigations, techno-economic studies and ...

Himachal CM appointed as state BJP election steering committee president

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has been appointed as the president of the state BJP election steering committee, the state BJP chief Suresh Kashyap said. In a statement issued here on Monday evening, Kashyap said that Thakur was made state BJP election steering committee head after consulting top leadership of the party. Besides, former HP Assembly Speaker Rajeev Bindal has been made the state BJP election management committee president, he added. The assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Himachal Pradesh within next four months.

Himachal Pradesh CM Thakur to visit flash flood, landslide-hit Mandi today

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will on Monday visit flash flood and landslide hit areas in Mandi district, officials said. Twenty-two people, including eight members of a family, were killed and twelve others injured in 36 incidents of landslides and flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday. The chief minister's home district Mandi is the worst hit where 13 people have died and five persons are feared dead as they went missing. At least one person has been injured in flash floods and landslides in Mandi. According to officials, the chief minister is scheduled to reach Mandi at around 8.15 am in a helicopter from Shimla. Thakur will specially visit Kashan village in Gohar development block where Khem Singh and seven other members of his family were buried alive under the debris of their house after a landslide occurred on August 20. As per his schedule, he will reach Kashan village by road from Mandi helipad at around 9 am and take st

Himachal landslides: CM directs top officials to expedite rescue operations

In view of landslides triggered by torrential rains, Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur directed Deputy Commissioners to ensure immediate relief and rescue operations besides deploying men and machinery

Himachal CM expresses concern over heavy loss due to torrential rains

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday expressed concern over the colossal loss of life and property due to torrential rains in various parts of Himachal Pradesh. "The chief minister has directed the district administrations to immediately ensure relief, rescue and rehabilitation works in the affected areas," an official spokesperson said. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state forces have been rushed to the spots to undertake relief and rescue operations where people have reportedly been stuck under the debris, he added. Thakur advised the locals as well as the tourists to stay away from landslide-prone areas and riversides to avert any mishap. He has also prayed for the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families to bear the irreparable loss. BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda also expressed his condolences to the people and the family members who lost their lives and loved ones due to such heavy rains and landslides, a state Bharatiya Janata P

HP: Oppn questions removal of chief secy, HPPSC head's oath ceremony

Congress leader Mukesh Agnihotri has asked Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur why the chief secretary was removed from his post a few weeks ago and why the oath-taking ceremony of the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) chairperson was cancelled at the eleventh hour on Thursday. The leader of the opposition in the state Assembly Mukesh Agnihotri in a Facebook post on Friday asked if the chief secretary was removed on the directions of the Prime Minister's office (PMO). This is the right of the public of Himachal Pradesh to know why the chief secretary was removed from his post," the opposition party leader questioned. Ram Subhag Singh was removed from the post of chief secretary in July and appointed as the Principal Advisor (Administrative Reforms). Agnihotri further asked why the HPPSC head's oath-taking ceremony had been cancelled at the eleventh hour. He said that it was the first time in the history of Himachal Pradesh when the HPPSC head's oath-tak

Himachal Pradesh Assembly to discuss no-confidence motion against BJP govt

The Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Thursday will discuss a no-confidence motion brought by the Congress and the CPM against the Jai Ram Thakur-led state government