Youth’s future is linked to the State’s future: CM
3 min read
SHIMLA 12th August, 2025
• CM presides over International Youth Day Programme
• Launches Car-Bin distribution drive and HIV awareness campaign covering 6,000 villages
On the occasion of International Youth Day, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu urged the youth of Himachal Pradesh to stay away from drugs and actively support efforts to make a Himachal a drug-free State. He appealed to young people to report drug traffickers to the police and assured that the State Government was committed to rehabilitating those trapped in the drug menace. He added that strict action was being taken against drug mafias, including confiscation of their properties.
“Today’s youth are the future of the nation and the progress of Himachal Pradesh is directly linked to their well-being,” said the Chief Minister, adding: “The reforms we are implementing today will benefit the youth in the next five years, when they will proudly say they belong to the most prosperous State in the country.”
The Chief Minister said that the Government was creating employment and self-employment opportunities for the youth, besides encouraging start-ups. To promote tourism, the State would invest Rs. 3,000 crore in the coming years. The Government was offering loans at a 4 percent interest rate for home-stay construction. Presently, about 8,000 home-stays are operational in the State and tourism activities have begun along the China border. These steps would go a long way in promoting the tourism activities in the state.
He added that educational reforms have elevated Himachal Pradesh’s ranking from 21st to 5th in the country. Ten Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding Schools will become operational from next academic session, offering pre-nursery to Class 12. These would be equipped with swimming pools, nutritious meals and provide quality education. Teacher recruitment is underway and advertisements have been issued for 600 JBT positions, he added.
The Chief Minister said that 6,000 orphaned children have been declared ‘Children of the State’, and financial support for higher education under the Dr. YS Parmar Vidyarthi Rin Yojana, which offers loans up to Rs. 20 lakh at just 1 percent interest rate, was also being implemented in the state.
Sh. Sukhu stated that 90 percent of the State’s population lives in villages, but farming was no longer the main livelihood. The Government was promoting natural farming, offering minimum support prices for wheat, maize, raw turmeric and barley. He said that Himachal aims to become a leader in natural farming, with processed products being made available through fair price shops. “I also received a phone call from the Governor of Gujarat Acharya Devvrat who appreciated the efforts of the State government to promote Natural farming in the State,” he said.
During the event, the Chief Minister launched an HIV awareness campaign, scheduled to run from 12th August to 12th October, 2025. The campaign will cover 6,000 villages and more than 1,500 educational institutions of the State. He also started the second phase of the Car-Bin distribution drive, handing bins to 50 taxi drivers in Shimla. Across the state, 6,000 car-bins will be distributed, in addition to the 4,000 distributed earlier in the first phase. He also administered an oath against drug abuse and HIV.
The CM flagged off a ‘Red Run’ and ‘Bicycle Run’ from his official residence earlier in the morning and honoured the winners.
Speaking on the occasion, Health Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil emphasized that channelising youth energy in the right direction was crucial for a better future. He expressed concern over the 6,408 HIV cases reported in the State, of which 1,453 are among youth aged 15–30. He said that the State Government was promoting HIV testing and treatment alongside running awareness programmes to curb the spread of the disease.
Project Director, HP State AIDS Control Society, Rajiv Kumar, welcomed the Chief Minister during the event and elaborated about the activities being undertaken by the Society. On this occasion, a cultural programme was also presented to raise awareness about drug abuse and HIV.
Vice Chairman of State Planning Board Bhawani Singh Pathania, MLAs Harish Janartha, Suresh Kumar, Neeraj Nayar, Vivek Sharma, Ranjit Singh Rana, Ajay Solanki, Anuradha Rana, Mayor MC Shimla Surender Chauhan, Deputy Mayor Uma Kaushal, OSD to the Chief Minister Gopal Sharma, senior Congress leader Surender Mankotia, DC Shimla Anupam Kashyap and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
