Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday said the state government’s revenue from mining is set to grow by Rs 120 crore in two years.

He stated this while chairing a meeting here. He also said that during the BJP government’s tenure two years ago, the state government’s revenue from mining was Rs 240 crore.

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“However, due to pragmatic efforts of the current state government, it increased to Rs 314 crore in the last financial year and is expected to reach Rs. 360 crore by the end of the current financial year.

This means that within just two years, the revenue is set to grow by Rs. 120 crore,” he said.

The process of transferring officials who have been holding sensitive positions in various departments for a long time has once again begun.

After completing the process of transfers in the State Taxes and Excise Department, along with a few other departments, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has issued directives in this regard and asked the departments to prepare for the process.

He further said that the state government is committed to providing accountable and transparent governance to the people of the state.

“The present state government has taken numerous steps in this direction over the past two years,” he claimed.

He directed the Industries Department to include the Himachal Pradesh Forest Development Corporation in the auctioning process of mining leases.

He also said that the state government would formulate new rules for utilizing DMFT (District Mineral Foundation Trust) funds so that the money can be used for the welfare of the underprivileged sections of society.

He further stated that the state government is making efforts to promote green industries in Himachal Pradesh and is encouraging investments in tourism, hydropower, food processing, data storage, and the dairy sector.

These initiatives will not only help in environmental conservation but will also provide employment and self-employment opportunities for the local youth, he added.

The Chief Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to provide affordable electricity to industries, mentioning that Himachal Pradesh continues to have cheaper electricity than neighboring states.