Himachal Day in Pangi: Promises, Parades, and Political posturing..
Pangi/Shimla: In a first, the State-Level Himachal Day celebration was airlifted to the remote tribal belt of Killar in Pangi Valley, Chamba—78 years since the state's formation.
The move was painted as a gesture of inclusion by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, but behind the fluttering flags and flashy parades lies a valley still gasping for basic amenities.
Big Announcements, Bigger Gaps
From the helipad stage, CM Sukhu dropped a Rs. 45.50 crore promise for a 33 KV line from Thirot to Killar, and Rs. 5 crore more for an 11 KV line from Tindi to Shaur.
But locals know the drill—projects get announced faster than they get executed. Power outages remain routine and the terrain still suffers from darkness post-sundown.
He declared Udaipur-Killar road as a top priority and claimed the tender process is "almost complete".
However, the road continues to test every wheel and will of those who dare to drive it.
Administration from both Lahaul-Spiti and Chamba has been nudged to "expedite" paperwork.
Natural Farming – Buzzword or Backbone?
Pangi has now been branded Himachal’s first natural farming sub-division with a Rs. 5 crore revolving fund.
A Minimum Support Price of Rs. 60/kg for barley was also announced. But with erratic market access and poor transportation, even organically-grown dreams struggle to reach the mandis.
Tourism and Transport: A Bumpy Ride
The CM dangled 20 new bus permits and a 40% subsidy for bus purchases with four months of road tax exemption.
Yet, the valley remains underserved with only a handful of ageing buses plying across dangerous, landslide-prone roads.
A 50% waiver on home stay registration fees was also announced—welcome, but insufficient without internet, banking access, or tourist inflow.
Healthcare & Education: Patchy Promises
The Civil Hospital in Killar is to be made into an Adarsh Swasthya Sansthan, and a milk processing plant with 10,000-litre capacity is to be set up.
The promise of a Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding School sounds noble—but remains hollow in a valley where even middle school students walk kilometres on foot daily.
Tribal Sentiment or Political Stunt?
Sukhu invoked former PM Indira Gandhi’s 1984 visit to Pangi, attempting to deepen the Congress connect in the tribal belt.
But while history was remembered, legacy leaders were conveniently forgotten.
Notably absent from the spotlight were supporters of late CM Virbhadra Singh—like senior leader Thakur Singh Bharmauri and his son.
Instead, Sukhu seemed more focused on propping up his own loyalist brigade, turning a government event into a clear signal of intra-party turf-building.
More Schemes, Fewer Solutions
From the Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojana (Rs. 100 crore) to solar energy subsidies and green state goals, the announcements kept flowing.
But implementation remains the Achilles' heel. A new policy to settle farm loans up to Rs. 3 lakh with a 50% interest subsidy might offer some relief—if red tape doesn't choke it first.
Cultural Colour, But Underlying Monochrome
The parade led by six contingents and cultural programmes brought festive flair. Officers and government employees were felicitated, including teachers and doctors.
But for locals, the takeaway wasn’t the spectacle—it was the Rs. 4,500 handout to 1,926 women under the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana, leaving others to wait “for paperwork to complete.”
Police Awards and Drug Crackdown
Police stations from Bilaspur, Mandi, Kangra, and Una were awarded for excellence.
Meanwhile, the CM promised to expand the Anti-Narcotics Task Force—a timely move, as even remote valleys like Pangi aren't immune to the growing menace.
#HimachalDay #PangiValley #SukhuSarkar #RemotePromises #NaturalFarming #PowerPolitics #TokenismVsTransformation #VirbhadraLegacyIgnored #BharmauriOut #CongressCracks #PromisesVsReality #HimachalAt78 #PoliticalOptics #DevelopmentDrama #HillPolitics #KillarKaSawaal
