Focus on sustainable, inclusive, and democratic growth amid rising challenges
Shimla, March 22: A new sustainable and inclusive roadmap for Himachal Pradesh’s development is in the making. The second leg of the three-part ‘Samridh Himachal 2045 Colloquium’ began Friday at the Dr. Manmohan Singh Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administration, Shimla.
The vision-building exercise, being held under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, is aimed at shaping a futuristic yet pragmatic blueprint for the hill state. It comes against the backdrop of mounting environmental, demographic, and social challenges staring at Himachal Pradesh.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, minced no words while highlighting the state’s growing concerns about excessive centralization by the Centre.
“The Centre’s increasing control is limiting states like ours from taking timely, people-centric decisions,” he remarked.
The colloquium brought together a diverse group of experts, environmentalists, legal luminaries, and policymakers. The Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI) is also participating, with IMI President Ramesh Negi joining the discussions from tomorrow. MP Sood, Secretary of the Himachal Chapter of IMI, and environmental advocate Advocate Archana Vaidya—a strong voice for waste circularity—were also present.
Former Sikkim MP and immediate past IMI President PD Rai shared a thought-provoking perspective on the first panel, raising concerns over the ‘atrophy of institutions’ in India and globally.
“There’s an urgent need to rebuild our institutions with stronger political will and vision,” Rai stressed.
Renowned legal luminary and former Union Minister Salman Khurshid spoke passionately about Himachal’s potential to offer thought leadership to the rest of India.
“This small state has often shown the way with its progressive policies—be it in education, environment, or social sectors,” Khurshid said.
The state’s Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena flagged four critical challenges that need immediate attention as the state envisions its future:
1. Undernourished babies despite no absolute poverty
2. A dangerously low Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 1.3 leading to an aging population
3. Growing drug abuse among the youth and the associated social stigma
4. Massive glacial melt—almost 50% loss since 1994
“These issues are staring us in the face. The colloquium must come up with actionable solutions to integrate into the vision document,” Saxena urged.
The ‘Samridh Himachal 2045’ is being described as an innovative visioning process that aims to capture the aspirations of the people while also factoring in the harsh realities the state is grappling with—from climate change impacts to socio-economic shifts.
The event will continue tomorrow with more expert deliberations and brainstorming sessions aimed at finalizing a comprehensive, inclusive, and democratic vision for a resilient Himachal.
