Shimla: Amid a charged atmosphere in the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday sought to decisively clear the air on two of the most controversial issues confronting his government—alleged corruption in the HIMCARE health scheme and speculation over the privatisation of the state power utility.
Speaking during the Budget Session, Sukhu ruled out any move to privatise the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited, asserting that the government’s intent was to strengthen the board, not dismantle it.
His statement came against the backdrop of persistent rumours and political attacks linking power sector reforms and unbundling to the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission.
The Chief Minister acknowledged that the electricity board was facing serious structural challenges, including mounting financial losses and operational inefficiencies, but insisted that privatisation was not the solution. “OPS will continue for government employees.
The electricity board will not be privatised. We will reform it and make it stronger,” Sukhu told the House, drawing desk-thumping from treasury benches.
The power utility has increasingly come under scrutiny for being overstaffed and largely confined to transmission and distribution activities, with no major power generation projects currently underway.
Critics have often described it as top-heavy and weighed down by administrative excesses, a perception that has fuelled fears of privatisation.
Adding to the controversy is the appointment of a retired IAS officer, Prabodh Saxena, as chairperson of the board—an issue frequently raised by the opposition to allege that the utility has become a dumping ground for retired bureaucrats.
Turning to the HIMCARE health insurance scheme, Sukhu launched a sharp attack on the previous BJP government, alleging large-scale corruption.
He said that once the ongoing clean-up exercise is completed, many big names will come to light, exposing how public money was siphoned off. “We are fixing HIMCARE. Names will surface, and people will know how the loot happened,” he said.
At the same time, the Chief Minister made it clear that the scheme would not be discontinued.
Instead, HIMCARE will be continued in a reformed, corruption-free form, with a complete rewrite aimed at plugging loopholes, improving transparency, and restoring its original welfare intent.
Sukhu also announced that the Sahara scheme would be implemented in the forthcoming budget, underlining the government’s focus on social security despite fiscal stress.
Overall, the Chief Minister’s statements appeared aimed at calming employee unions, countering opposition attacks, and signalling that while reforms were inevitable, Himachal Pradesh would not blindly follow central prescriptions at the cost of public institutions and welfare schemes.
The mood in the House reflected both anxiety and anticipation, as the government attempts to walk a tightrope between reform, fiscal discipline, and political fallout.
