Overview
- Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Wednesday that replacing the fully central‑funded MGNREGA with VB‑G RAM G, which requires states to pay 10% of costs, is not in Himachal’s interest and will be raised with the Central government.
- Sukhu ordered immediate administrative steps to protect rural delivery, including filling vacant posts in the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department and committing to further recruitment to speed implementation.
- The state has begun short‑term mitigation measures such as integrating department flagship schemes into the Chief Minister’s dashboard for online monitoring and directing officers to ensure timely benefit delivery.
- Himachal allocated Rs 30 crore to complete Panchayat Ghars, approved extra funds for the Una District Panchayat Resource Centre, and continued support for self‑help groups with Rs 65.56 lakh credited to 310 SHGs so far.
- The change in funding shifts fiscal responsibility to states, a move that could squeeze services in smaller hill states and influence future state requests to the Centre over cost sharing and implementation support.