Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday emphasised the need for a strict crackdown on illegal mining and drug menace.

Presiding over the second day of the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) conference, Sukhu initiated discussions with officers from Hamirpur, Mandi, Kangra, Kullu, Sirmaur, Shimla, and Solan districts, directing them to focus on good governance in their respective areas.

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Directing them to take stringent actions against illegal mining and drug abuse, Sukhu emphasised the importance of involving the community to effectively curb illegal mining.

He also said that the state government is contemplating the creation of a dedicated wing led by an IG-level officer to intensify actions against drug abuse.

The Chief Minister highlighted the state government’s commitment to making every possible effort to protect the youth from falling prey to drugs.

He directed the DCs to review the state government’s flagship scheme at the sub-division level and submit the report by 31 December 2024.

He stated that the state government has introduced new performance-based rules for the annual appraisal reports of all DCs and SPs, replacing the previous descriptive grading system with a numerical grading approach for officer assessments.

Directing them to expedite FCA clearances to facilitate the timely implementation of various development projects for public benefit, he maintained that delays in processing FCA cases will lead to accountability measures for the responsible officers.

He further stated that the state government is actively working to strengthen the rural economy.

Sukhu also instructed DCs to identify suitable land for solar projects promptly, as part of an initiative to establish green panchayats throughout the state.

Stating that the state government has adopted 6,000 orphaned children as ‘Children of the State’, he instructed the DCs to provide counselling to orphans who have attained the age of 18 years, informing them about the various provisions of the Mukhyamantri Sukhashray Yojana so that they can fully benefit from it.

“The power to approve exposure tours for interested orphaned children will be delegated to the DC level to ensure they do not face any inconvenience in undertaking such visits,” he said.

To address the problem of stray animals, the Chief Minister directed DCs to identify land for constructing cow shelters at district headquarters.

He emphasised that stray animals pose a hazard on roads, leading to accidents and creating challenges for farmers, and directed district administrations to prioritise this issue.

Additionally, he directed DCs to identify vacant government buildings in their districts and relocate government offices currently operating in rented spaces to these vacant facilities.

Sukhu asked them to promote tourism activities in their districts, as this remains a top priority for the government.

“The state government is focusing on tourism, hydropower, data storage, and food processing sectors, with a strong commitment to promoting green industries in Himachal Pradesh,” he added.

During the meeting, the DCs and SPs of seven districts presented detailed updates on the progress and accomplishments of various schemes and projects being implemented in their respective districts.