Shimla, June 15, 2026: A grand swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected Pradhans and Up-Pradhans of Shimla district was held at Peterhof today under the chairmanship of Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was also present on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, Education Minister Rohit Thakur administered the oath of office to the newly elected Pradhans and Up-Pradhans and congratulated them on their election. He emphasized that Panchayat representatives play a vital role in ensuring balanced and inclusive development across the state.
The Minister announced that a special meeting with all newly elected Panchayati Raj representatives will be held on June 27, 2026. He urged the elected representatives to work with commitment and dedication to transform their Panchayats into model Panchayats and contribute actively towards building a developed Himachal Pradesh.
Highlighting the importance of rural development, Rohit Thakur stated that nearly 90 percent of Himachal Pradesh’s population resides in rural areas, making it imperative to ensure the availability of basic amenities in every village. He informed that the 16th Finance Commission is expected to allocate approximately ₹3,744 crore for Panchayati Raj institutions, which will be utilized for development works across Panchayats.
He further announced that the state government would provide additional resources to strengthen local governance and infrastructure. Referring to the recently concluded Panchayati Raj elections, he stated that 137 Panchayats that were elected unopposed would receive a special grant of ₹25 lakh each as an incentive for consensus-based democratic participation.
The Education Minister called upon all Pradhans and Up-Pradhans to work at the grassroots level to improve essential services and social welfare initiatives, including sanitation, health care, drinking water supply, and awareness campaigns against drug abuse.
Deputy Commissioner Shimla Anupam Kashyap welcomed the dignitaries and briefed the gathering about the proceedings of the ceremony. Additional Deputy Commissioner Shimla Sachin Sharma proposed the vote of thanks and expressed gratitude to the chief guest and other distinguished attendees.
Among those present on the occasion were Chairman of the 7th State Finance Commission and Rampur MLA Nand Lal, Theog MLA Kuldeep Singh Rathore, Rohru MLA Mohan Lal Brakta, Shimla Urban MLA Harish Janartha, Himfed Chairman Maheshwar Singh Chauhan, HPMC Chairman Devanand Verma, Himcon Chairman Vikesh Chauhan, State Women Commission Chairperson Vidya Negi, Child Commission Chairperson Anita Thakur, Vice Chairman of the Drug Prevention Board Sanjay Bhardwaj, Chief IT Advisor to the Chief Minister Gokul Butail, OSD to the Chief Minister Gopal Sharma, Additional Director Panchayati Raj Kewal Sharma, and several other dignitaries.
