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Shimla (summer); Dharamshala (winter) · North
Chief Minister
INC · in office since 2022
Declared figures from the ECI election affidavit (—), via MyNeta/ADR — as declared, not verified. Bars are the original publisher's 0–100 mappings (education mapping; legal: 100 − serious×18 − other×10) — theirs, not ours.
These 0–100 ratings are the original publisher's own, quoted here with their methodology. Audit India computes no score — the same way we carry UNDP's HDI as UNDP's number.
Transparency
44/ 100
the original publisher
Two findings are carried here, both read against the report itself: the 2024 performance audit of public health infrastructure, and the State Finances Audit Report for 2023-24 (Report No. 1 of 2025). The score beside this note was assigned by the original publisher on four findings cited to Reports No. 01-04 of 2025 — for NHM, JJM, MGNREGS and state finances. HP's reports at those numbers are the State Finances report and two composite audits, and the state-finances figures given did not match what the report prints (committed expenditure is 64-70 per cent of revenue expenditure, not 75; debt to GSDP is 43.98 per cent, not 38). All four were withdrawn and the state-finances one rewritten from the report. Read the score as that publisher's opinion, not as a count of what is shown here.
Officials' Legal Integrity
100/ 100
the original publisher
10 unique officials counted (Governor excluded). All 10 — CM Sukhu, Speaker Pathania, Deputy CM Agnihotri, Chandra Kumar, Jagat Singh Negi, Dhani Ram Shandil, Rohit Thakur, Harshvardhan Chauhan, Vikramaditya Singh, and (10th) Anirudh Singh (Home) — declared 0 criminal cases in 2022 ECI affidavits. Average: (100×10) ÷ 10 = 100. HP's Congress cabinet brings a mix of experienced (Jagat Singh Negi — 7-term legislator) and newer MLAs; the clean affidavit profile is consistent with HP's mountain political culture where candidate selection is closely scrutinised.
Governance
62/ 100
the original publisher
Composite: indicators avg (60/100) × 50% + Transparency (44/100) × 25% + Integrity (100/100) × 25% = 30 + 11 + 25 = 66; adjusted down to 62 to reflect: (1) HP's fiscal crisis — salary+pension consuming 75% of revenue expenditure and OPS restoration adding ₹10,000 Cr annual liability — this will progressively crowd out capital expenditure for roads, health, schools, and the Himachal infrastructure that mountain communities depend on; (2) the Congress government's June 2023 "political crisis" where 6 Congress MLAs cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha election, causing a Constitutional floor-crossing episode that required Supreme Court intervention — HP's governance stability is fragile.
The 0–100 rings are the original publisher's category scores, in their colour bands — theirs, not ours.
These statistics were carried over from the original publisher, which produced them with a language model rather than compiling them from the publications named beside them. We removed 38 whose figures were absent from the source they credit, and confirmed 45 against theirs. The rest name a publication we have not been able to check them against — read them as the original publisher's figures, not as verified fact.
Figures below are as declared by each individual in their own ECI or Rajya Sabha affidavit. We report them; we do not score them. The small bars under education are the original publisher's 0–100 mapping of the declared qualification — their construct, not a measurement of ours.
| Name | Office | Party · since | Declared cases | Declared qualification | Affidavit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSSukhvinder Singh Sukhu | Chief Minister | | — | — | — |
| KGKavinder Gupta | Governor | — | — | — | — |
| KSKuldeep Singh Pathania | Speaker, Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha | | 1 | Graduate Professional | 2022 |
| MAMukesh Agnihotri | Deputy Chief Minister — Jal Shakti, Transport, Language, Art & Culture, Co-operation | | 5 | Post Graduate | 2022 |
| CKChandra Kumar | Minister for Agriculture, Animal Husbandry | | — | — | — |
| JSJagat Singh Negi | Minister for Revenue, Horticulture, Tribal Development | | 1 | Graduate Professional | 2022 |
| DRDhani Ram Shandil | Minister for Health, Social Justice & Empowerment, Sainik Welfare | | 1 | Doctorate | 2022 |
| RTRohit Thakur | Minister for Higher & Elementary Education, Printing & Stationery | | 0 | Graduate | 2022 |
| HCHarshvardhan Chauhan | Minister for Industries, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour | | — | — | — |
| VSVikramaditya Singh | Minister for Public Works, Urban Development | | 11 | Post Graduate | 2022 |
Findings from CAG audit reports on schemes as they ran in this state, quoted with their report references. We add no grade of our own.
Public Health Infrastructure and Health Services — Himachal Pradesh
Two of every five posts in Himachal's health system are empty — an overall shortfall of 41.87 per cent across all categories as of March 2023. Specialists are missing where the hills are hardest: in civil hospitals, Kinnaur and Lahaul & Spiti had no specialists at all, nine of twelve districts were short by more than 69 per cent, and only Shimla was close to full. In community health centres, six districts had no specialists against IPHS norms and five were short by 90 per cent or more.
What the audit measured
Doctor shortfalls ranged from nine to 56 per cent in medical college hospitals and zero to 22 per cent in district hospitals; in civil hospitals from seven per cent in Hamirpur to 57 per cent in Kinnaur, with none in Kullu. Specialist shortages in medical college hospitals ran from 15 per cent at IGMC Shimla to 49 per cent at Chamiana. Against notified strength, district hospitals ranged from 33 per cent excess in Shimla to an 89 per cent shortfall in Lahaul & Spiti. The state has still not adopted IPHS norms.
State Finances — Himachal Pradesh
Himachal's debt has outgrown the ceiling it set for itself. Total outstanding debt reached 43.98 per cent of GSDP in 2023-24 against an FRBM target of 38.98 per cent, up from 39.09 per cent in 2019-20. The fiscal deficit was 5.43 per cent of GSDP against a 3.5 per cent target, and the state ran a revenue deficit of 2.68 per cent of GSDP where the target was a surplus. CAG's own conclusion: 'Going by the fiscal trends, the State Finances are heavily stressed.'
What the audit measured
Committed expenditure — interest, salaries and pensions — took 64 to 70 per cent of revenue expenditure through 2019-24, rising from ₹21,466 crore to ₹30,213.59 crore. With inflexible expenditure added, the 2023-24 figure is ₹32,262.37 crore, or 72.12 per cent of all revenue spending. Overall liabilities grew at 11.07 per cent a year over the period. The state reverted to the Old Pension Scheme from 1 April 2023, and the report flags the resulting burden as something to be reckoned with in judging debt sustainability.
The promises and their delivery status come from the original publisher and are their assessment, not ours. They cite a party's homepage rather than a manifesto, so what was promised cannot be checked from the citation given. Audit India has verified neither the wording nor the status.
Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman: ₹1,500/month to all women aged 18-60
Scheme launched February 2024 at ₹1,500/month for women aged 18-60 from BPL/lower-income families. By mid-2026, ~5.5 lakh women enrolled (out of estimated 16 lakh eligible). Budget constraint (~₹800 crore/year at current coverage) prevents universal rollout. Full coverage at ₹1,500 would cost ₹2,400 crore/year, straining HP's small budget.
300 units free electricity per month to all Himachal families
Congress initially implemented 125-unit free scheme (January 2023). Increased to 300 units for BPL/small consumers later; but all-household 300-unit free scheme has significant fiscal gap. HPSEBL subsidy costs ~₹1,200 crore/year. Cross-subsidisation from industrial tariffs helps. As of mid-2026, 300 units free for approximately 8 lakh (of 18 lakh) HP households.
5 lakh jobs in Himachal Pradesh within the election term
HP State Recruitment Board filled ~15,000 government posts by 2025 (police, teachers, health workers). Total 5 lakh includes private sector and self-employment — unverifiable. Apple orchardists and tourism sector provided seasonal employment but HP's economy is structurally dependent on government jobs. 5 lakh target not trackable.
Restore Old Pension Scheme for Himachal government employees
OPS restored January 2023 for all HP state employees who joined after May 2003. ~1.36 lakh employees covered. HP is among the states that reversed NPS to OPS alongside Rajasthan, CG, JH. PFRDA corpus transfer underway.
Responsible fiscal governance: reduce debt burden while expanding welfare commitments
Himachal Pradesh was on the verge of a fiscal crisis by 2023 — one of India's first "near-default" state warnings since Punjab (2022). HP's total public debt: ₹86,000 crore (2024-25 budget estimate) — equivalent to 44% of GSDP, well above the FRBM norm of 25%. HP pays ₹8,000+ crore annually in interest — consuming 25% of total revenue receipts. Salary and pension commitments to HP's 2.2 lakh government employees and 1.6 lakh pensioners consume another 40% of revenue. Congress's OPS restoration added ₹1,200 crore/year in additional pension liability. HP required an RBI special dispensation for market borrowings in 2023. The Congress government's welfare promises (free electricity, women's stipend, OPS) simultaneously expanded commitments.
Increase Himachal's forest cover to 30% of geographical area through afforestation drives
HP forest cover: 27.72% (ISFR 2023) — a marginal increase from 27.64% in 2021. CAG's performance audit of compensatory afforestation (Report No. 3 of 2024, covering April 2006 to March 2021) found the state authority failing to spend even what it projected — a shortfall of ₹169.73 crore, or 20 per cent, against funds approved by the National Authority over 2016-22 — and user agencies still depositing money into the National Authority's account rather than the State Fund, against the 2018 rules. ₹6.51 crore went on nature and eco parks, which the ministry's rules do not permit under that head. HP's apple orchards (covering 1.1 lakh ha) are technically classified as agricultural land, not forest — creating a gap in ecological coverage.
Guaranteed price and marketing support for HP apple growers; revamp HPMC and cold chain
HP produces 4-5 crore cartons of apples annually (Shimla, Kullu, Kinnaur, Mandi, Chamba districts) — the crop that defines Himachal's rural identity. Apple belt farmers, who invest ₹80,000-1.5 lakh/hectare in pesticides, packaging and labour, have faced recurring price crashes when surplus supply hits mandis. Sukhu's INC government (2023-) policy: (1) HPMC (state marketing agency) purchase centres at 47 new sites; (2) Universal Crop Failure Compensation under Mukhyamantri Bagwani Bima Yojana — ₹40,000-60,000/hectare crop insurance launched 2024; (3) Cold storage expansion: 1,200 MT CA (Controlled Atmosphere) storage added at Rohru, Rampur. The 2023 Himachal floods (August 2023 — worst monsoon in 30 years, ₹12,000 crore crop and infrastructure loss) devastated apple orchards in Kullu and Shimla districts — destroying ~25 lakh cartons of apple production. INC government's emergency relief: ₹450 crore compensation to 1.8 lakh affected farmers.
Restore Old Pension Scheme for all Himachal government employees; renegotiate HP's debt
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's INC government restored OPS for ~1.36 lakh HP state employees in March 2023 — one of the fastest OPS restorations after an election promise. But the fiscal consequences are severe: CAG's State Finances Audit Report for 2023-24 does not put a figure on the unfunded liability, but flags the burden of the reversion as something that must be reckoned with in judging the state's debt sustainability. It records committed expenditure — interest, salaries and pensions together — at 64 to 70 per cent of revenue expenditure through 2019-24, and debt at 43.98 per cent of GSDP against an FRBM target of 38.98 per cent. The Sukhu government has faced a fiscal crisis: HP's credit rating was downgraded by CRISIL in 2024 (from AA to AA-) — the first downgrade in a decade; a portion of HP employees went unpaid for weeks in December 2023 due to cash flow stress. HP's fiscal distress is structural: 60% revenue from Central transfers, 22% from own tax (primarily GST and stamp duty in Shimla/Kangra), and only 12% from natural resources. The hydropower royalties (~₹1,400 crore/year) and tourism revenues are the only growth levers.
₹1,500/month to all HP women; 50% reservation in government jobs; free e-scooter scheme
The Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi — ₹1,500/month to all women above 18 — was the INC 2022 campaign's most prominent promise. After delays, the scheme was launched in April 2024 for women 60+ (initially); from January 2025, extended to all women above 21. As of mid-2026: 5.4 lakh women enrolled, receiving ₹1,500/month (₹9,720 crore/year fiscal impact). The free e-scooter promise (one per eligible woman) was partially implemented: 5,000 e-scooters distributed (target: 1 lakh). 50% government job reservation: implemented through an executive order for HPSSC/HPPSC recruitments — though implementation is patchy in technical departments. The scheme is modelled on similar cash-transfer programmes in MP (Ladli Bahna), CG, and Odisha.
Complete AIIMS Bilaspur; strengthen CHCs and PHCs; universal health coverage
AIIMS Bilaspur (HP) — one of 15 new AIIMS sanctioned by the NDA government nationally — was inaugurated by PM Modi in October 2022. Hospital blocks, hostel and medical college are operational; MBBS batch of 100 students from 2023. AIIMS Bilaspur has 18 departments and 750 bed capacity (Phase 1: 300 beds operational). It serves as the apex referral centre for HP and parts of Punjab/Haryana. HP's Himachal Pradesh Universal Health Protection Scheme (HP-UHPS) — combining PMJAY with state top-up — covers 7.4 lakh families (₹5 lakh/year cashless). Claim settlement rate: 89%. However HP's Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) data shows rural CHCs: 34% of CHC posts vacant; district hospitals in Chamba, Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti are chronically under-staffed due to the premium on hill postings (doctors prefer Shimla postings). Incentive allowance for hill posting doctors was enhanced to ₹12,000/month in 2024.
MSP for apples at ₹8-10/kg; cold storage chains for apple and vegetable farmers
HP apple production (4+ crore cartons/year) is largely unregulated for price. BJP's promised MSP was not formally implemented; market prices range ₹8-40/kg depending on grade and season. HP Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC) cold storage capacity expanded from 60,000 MT (2017) to 95,000 MT (2022). Apple farmers remain exposed to price volatility.
Improve connectivity to Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur and Pangi-Chamba through tunnels and ropeways
Atal Tunnel (Rohtang, 8.8 km, NH-3) inaugurated October 2020 — world's longest highway tunnel above 10,000 ft. Provides all-weather Manali–Lahaul connectivity. Shinku La tunnel (Lahaul–Zanskar) DPR completed; construction not started. Ropeways to Parashar Lake, Bara Bhangal remain unrealised.
Maximise royalty from hydropower projects; ensure HP's rivers generate maximum state revenue
Himachal Pradesh has 16,000 MW of installed hydropower capacity — contributing 12% of India's hydropower generation. Free-power royalty (12% of generation mandated to state, 1% to district panchayats) provides GoHP ~₹1,400 crore/year — HP's largest own-revenue source. BJP government under Jai Ram Thakur negotiated upward revision of royalty rates for private projects and pushed BBMB (Bhakra Beas Management Board) for revised equity sharing. However BBMB royalty dispute with Punjab remains unresolved — HP claims additional ₹6,000 crore is owed by Punjab for historical water share. GoHP also disputes the valuation of Dehar Power House (BBMB) royalty.
Make Himachal India's premier adventure tourism state; 5 crore tourists by 2022; develop ski and ropeway circuits
BJP 2017-22 government's single largest tourism achievement: Atal Tunnel (Rohtang, 8.8 km, inaugurated by PM Modi October 3, 2020) — the world's longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet, connecting Manali to Lahaul-Spiti year-round for the first time (previously a 4-month seasonal road). Lahaul-Spiti — which had 20,000 winter residents cut off from October to May — is now accessible 365 days. Spiti Valley tourism has grown 400% since the tunnel opening (Kaza, Key Monastery, Chandratal Lake are now among India's most-visited highland destinations). Other achievements: homestay policy expanded to 3,500 registered properties; 4 additional ski slopes operational at Narkanda and Solang Valley; Parashar Lake Ropeway approved but not built. Tourist arrivals grew from 1.65 crore (2017) to 3.3 crore (2022) — but the 5 crore target was not met. HP tourism then suffered severely in the 2023 monsoon floods (Mandi, Kullu, Shimla districts devastated — ₹10,000+ crore in infrastructure loss) under the subsequent Congress government.
Create 1 lakh government and private jobs; transparent recruitment through HPSSC/HPPSC
Jai Ram Thakur's BJP government (2017-22) — HP's first single-party majority in 22 years — recruited approximately 28,000 posts across HPSSC, HPPSC and departmental selections: police (4,800), teachers (7,200), health workers (3,600) and other departments. The recruitment was undermined by the 2022 HPPSC Paper Leak — question papers for the pre-medical test and JBT teacher recruitment leaked on WhatsApp hours before exams, requiring cancellation of 3 examinations and re-testing at government cost. This scandal significantly damaged the BJP's clean-governance image in the campaign leading to the 2022 election (which BJP lost to Congress). On fiscal management: state debt grew from ₹52,000 crore (2017-18) to ₹73,500 crore (2022-23) — driven by COVID relief expenditure (₹4,200 crore in 2020-21), salary commitments and the NPS (National Pension System, maintained by BJP despite mounting pressure from employee unions to restore OPS). The 1 lakh jobs target mixed government recruitment with private and self-employment — unverifiable in total.
Sahara Yojana: ₹3,000/month to bedridden patients; expand social security pensions
The Sahara Yojana — launched under the BJP Jai Ram Thakur government in 2019 — provides ₹3,000/month to patients suffering from cancer, Parkinson's, muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, thalassemia, renal failure, leprosy and stroke who are permanently bedridden and require a caregiver. 32,000 beneficiaries enrolled by 2022. This was one of India's first state-level caregiver-support cash transfer schemes. Social pensions expanded: old-age pension (₹1,500/month for 60-79; ₹1,750 for 80+), widow pension (₹1,500), disabled pension (₹1,500) — covering 7.8 lakh beneficiaries under NSAP + state top-up. HP has above-average old-age dependency: 11.4% population above 60 (national: 9.2%) due to youth outmigration. The Mukhyamantri Himachal Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (launched 2021) provided ₹5 lakh free treatment to 1.4 lakh AP (Above Poverty Line) families not covered by PMJAY.
Atal Adarsh Vidyalaya: 68 model government schools; recruit teachers; improve NEET/JEE results
HP has one of India's best government school networks proportionally — the state maintains 15,500 government schools for 13.5 lakh students, with a PTR (Pupil-to-Teacher Ratio) of 9:1 (national: 21:1) — extremely well staffed by the global standard. The BJP 2017 government launched 68 Atal Adarsh Vidyalayas (AAVs) — model schools with smart classrooms, digital libraries, e-labs, Atal Tinkering Labs and residential facilities for girls from remote areas. AAVs improved Class 12 board results: AAV-average pass rate 91% vs non-AAV government schools 74%. NEET/JEE coaching: Udaan free coaching programme provided by GoHP at 6 centers (Shimla, Kullu, Dharamshala, Hamirpur, Mandi, Solan) — 4,200 students trained; 340 NEET selections and 82 JEE mains qualifiers by 2022. However teacher recruitment fell short: 3,200 teacher vacancies remain in remote hill schools (Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, Pangi-Chamba) despite BJP's promise of zero vacancy by 2022. Incentive posting allowance for remote teachers: ₹8,000/month.
Safe tap water to every household; upgrade drinking water schemes in remote tribal areas
Himachal Pradesh achieved 100% FHTC (Functional Household Tap Connection) under JJM on November 9, 2022 — becoming one of India's first states to reach full saturation. All 17.1 lakh rural households in HP have piped water. This was a major achievement given HP's terrain: supplying water to remote villages at 3,000-4,000 metres altitude (Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur) required gravity-fed scheme extensions of 40-60 km across mountain ridges. HP JJM investment: ₹7,200 crore (2019-22). 24% of schemes in high-altitude areas face seasonal shut-down (October- March when water sources freeze); 68 rural water supply schemes in Lahaul-Spiti disrupted by the August 2023 floods. Water quality: 3.2% of tested samples failed bacterial safety standards in hill districts.
Combat drug addiction in HP youth; tighten excise enforcement at border with Punjab
Himachal Pradesh — particularly Kullu, Mandi and Chamba districts on the "Malana Cream" cannabis trail — has a significant drug addiction problem. Malana village (Kullu) produces what cannabis connoisseurs call the world's finest hashish and has been a destination for international drug tourism since the 1970s. GoHP has periodically destroyed Malana crops (2017-19 drive: 30,000+ acres of illegal cannabis destroyed). However altitude and inaccessibility make eradication difficult. The bigger concern is the synthetic drug corridor from Punjab: Chitkara University campus area (Solan-Baddi industrial belt), which houses 50,000+ students from across India, has become a hub for synthetic drug distribution (tramadol, methamphetamine, MDMA). HP Police NCB-linked seizures: 12,800 kg narcotic contraband seized (2017-22), with heroin seizures growing 400%. The Jai Ram government opened 8 new drug de-addiction centres (total: 28 in HP). A notable success: Kullu's apple farmer community has shifted some drug-tourism area back to apple cultivation under economic incentives.
2 CAG reports