Himachal Pardesh (June 2025)

1: Governance, Technology & Infrastructure

1. Launch of 'Chakshu Chakra' (Dharamshala)

In June 2025, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu inaugurated the 'Chakshu Chakra' Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Dharamshala under the Smart City Mission.

• Purpose: A centralized urban surveillance system to monitor real-time city activities, regulate traffic, and enhance emergency response.
• Key Stats: Features 229 CCTV cameras across 89 locations and intelligent traffic regulation at 7 major points.
• Significance: It serves as the "brain" of the city’s security, aiming to make Dharamshala a model for e-governance in the Himalayas.

2. E-Nagarpalika 2.0 Initiative

Himachal Pradesh became the first Indian state in June 2025 to bring all its Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) onto a single digital platform.

• Impact: Streamlines citizen services like property tax payment, birth/death certificates, and building plan approvals across the state’s urban centers.

3. Shongtong Karcham Hydroelectric Project Deadline

The state government set a firm November 2026 deadline for this long-delayed 450 MW project on the Satluj River (Kinnaur).

• Current Status: In June, officials fast-tracked the installation of the three 150 MW Francis turbines to address the state's energy deficit.

2: Environment, Culture & Social Milestones

1. Major Environmental Schemes

The government launched two critical initiatives in June to combat climate change and boost green cover:

• Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojana: Aimed at increasing biodiversity and forest cover through community-led plantation drives.
• Green Adoption Scheme: Encourages corporate houses (like Adani and Ambuja) to "adopt" forest land for conservation. Initial phase covers 45 hectares.

2. 11th State-Level Yoga Festival (Dharamshala)

On June 21, 2025, Himachal celebrated International Yoga Day with its state-level event at the Dharamshala Indoor Stadium.

• Highlight: Participants performed yoga at 14,500 feet at the Sach Pass (recently renamed Sache Jot) in Chamba, defying freezing temperatures to set a local record.

3. SC Warning on Ecological Imbalance

In a landmark observation in late June/July 2025, the Supreme Court warned that Himachal Pradesh might "vanish in thin air" due to unchecked construction.

• Notification: This followed the state’s June 2025 notification declaring certain high-altitude zones as "Green Areas" to curb multi-storey building projects and four-lane road expansions that trigger landslides.

4. Achievement: 100% Literacy Drive

While Tripura took the headlines, Himachal Pradesh reported a massive jump in its Performance Grading Index (PGI) for education in June, particularly in the "Teacher Education" domain, moving from a score of 70 to 84.7 (Grade: Utkarsh).

5. Mountaineering: Chhonzin Angmo’s Historic Summit

In early June 2025, Chhonzin Angmo, a 29-year-old from the remote Chango village in Kinnaur, became the first visually impaired Indian woman to scale Mount Everest.

• Global Context: She is only the fifth visually impaired woman in the world to achieve this feat.
• Impact: Her achievement was hailed by the state government as a symbol of "Divyang Shakti" (power of the specially-abled).

6. Defence: Posthumous Kirti Chakra for Naik Dilvar Khan

In June 2025, the President of India posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra to Naik Dilvar Khan from Himachal Pradesh for his exemplary bravery during counter-terrorist operations.

• Sacrifice: The state also mourned Subedar Major Pawan Kumar Jariyal from Shahpur, who was martyred during shelling in early June, just three months before his scheduled retirement.

7. Environment: The "e-Challan HP" App & Plastic Ban

On World Environment Day (June 5, 2025), CM Sukhu launched the Banned SUP eChallanHP Mobile App.

• Purpose: This app allows authorities to issue digital challans for the use of Single-Use Plastics (SUP) under the HP Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act, 1995.
• Goal: To make Himachal "Plastic Neutral" by automating enforcement and monitoring.

8. Cabinet Decisions: Local Job Quota & Milk Subsidy

The State Cabinet met in late June and passed several landmark decisions:

• Local Reservation: Posts in the pay matrix Level-11 (Group-B) were reclassified to Group-C. This change ensures that only Bonafide Himachalis can apply for these government roles.
• Milk Incentive Scheme: Approved a ₹3 per litre subsidy for farmers supplying milk to dairy cooperatives via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
• Tourism Shift: The HPTDC (Tourism Development Corp) Head Office was ordered to relocate from Shimla to Dharamshala to decongest the capital and promote the Kangra valley.

9. Disaster: The Sainj Valley Cloudburst

On June 25, 2025, a massive cloudburst struck the Sainj Valley in Kullu district.

• Damage: The 1 MW Jiwa Small Hydroelectric Project was completely submerged and washed away.
• Human Impact: Several footbridges and roads were destroyed, marking the start of a particularly destructive monsoon season that recorded 46% excess rainfall by the end of the month.