Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu recently honored ex-servicemen who have joined the state police force, emphasizing the government’s commitment to veteran welfare and the advancement of digital governance. This recognition unfolded during a ceremony at Oak Over in Shimla, where Sukhu participated in a piping event for Head Constable Sudhir Sharma and Constable Ravi Dutt. The state government has appointed 246 ex-servicemen as Head Constables and 115 as Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs) in the police department.
In his address, Sukhu expressed profound appreciation for the discipline, experience, and dedication that veterans contribute to policing. He addressed a pressing concern that many ex-servicemen fall short of the service tenure required for honorary promotions within the police force. In response, the government has relaxed eligibility criteria, allowing more former soldiers to receive honors as Head Constables and ASIs.
“This upgrade is a recognition of their service and contribution,” Sukhu stated, affirming the value of ex-servicemen who transition from military service to law enforcement.
Moreover, the Chief Minister announced enhanced legal protections for police personnel by extending provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). This update ensures that protections, previously reserved for senior officers, are now available to field personnel. As part of this initiative, prior governmental approval will be needed before prosecuting police officers for actions taken during lawful investigations.
Looking towards future recruitment, the Chief Minister discussed the Agnipath Scheme, revealing that the state has organized reservations for former Agniveers within the police department. He mentioned that around 1,200 recruits are currently in training, reiterating the government’s ongoing commitment to providing job opportunities for youth returning from service.
In a related digital governance effort, Sukhu completed his self-enumeration for Census 2027 through an online portal. During this procedure, he was briefed by Deep Shikha Sharma, the Director of Census Operations for Himachal Pradesh, regarding the self-enumeration system and the census process as a whole.
The Chief Minister called on citizens to actively participate in self-enumeration by the deadline of June 15, 2026. He underscored the importance of the census as it provides essential data for governance, development planning, and public service delivery.
The census schedule for Himachal Pradesh is structured as follows:
– House Listing and Housing Census: June 16 – July 15, 2026
– Population Enumeration in Snowbound Areas: September 11 – 30, 2026
– Population Enumeration in Remaining Areas: February 9 – 28, 2027
Sukhu encouraged residents to provide accurate information regarding their housing, vehicles, and household amenities to ensure that the data collected is reliable and beneficial for future planning and development initiatives.
The ceremony was attended by various dignitaries, including Health and Family Welfare Minister Dhani Ram Shandil, MLA Kamlesh Thakur, and other senior government officials, all of whom shared in recognizing the contributions of ex-servicemen and the importance of the upcoming census.
