Himachal Pradesh Politics & Governance

Census 2027 enumeration begins in Shimla district

1 September 2026

Census 2027’s second phase began in Shimla district on 1 September, with door-to-door enumeration scheduled through 30 September in areas notified as snow-bound and remote. The district deployed 1,697 enumerators and 286 supervisors to collect household and population details using a 40-question schedule. By 15 September, officials reported that 65 per cent of the district’s population and households had been covered.

Key Facts

• Census data helps shape government schemes, distribute resources and set priorities for development work.

Assembly response gives status of proposed Kangra zoological park

1 September 2026

In an Assembly response, the Himachal Pradesh government said the Durgeshwaranya-Kangra International Zoological Park is being established at Bankhandi in Dehra tehsil, across 244.92 hectares. Its estimated cost is ₹609 crore, and the response recorded expenditure of about ₹119.71 crore; the project is being developed in three phases.

Key Facts

• The Central Public Works Department is a public-sector works agency and one of the project’s implementing bodies.

Assembly passes State Universities Amendment Bill

2 September 2026

The Himachal Pradesh Assembly passed the Himachal Pradesh State Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026, by voice vote. It provides for assistant professor recruitment through the State Public Service Commission and recruitment to other posts through the State Selection Commission, while universities will recruit professors and associate professors themselves. The finance secretary will chair the finance committees of the state’s six government universities.

Key Facts

• The amendment requires university executive councils to follow recommendations from finance committees chaired by the state finance secretary.

Himachal Pradesh opens September Himcare registration and renewal window

2 September 2026

Himachal Pradesh’s Himcare scheme registration and renewal window was open from 1 to 30 September 2026. Eligible families can receive up to ₹5 lakh for treatment at empanelled government hospitals, with premiums varying by beneficiary category; eligible BPL families, MGNREGA workers and registered street vendors can enrol without a premium.

Key Facts

• Himcare provides eligible beneficiaries free treatment at government hospitals registered under the scheme.

Himachal Pradesh reports 87,710 PMAY-G house approvals over three years

2 September 2026

A Himachal Pradesh Assembly reply reported that 87,710 houses had been approved under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin in the state over the three years to 31 July 2026. Kangra had the highest district total, with 22,604 approvals, followed by Chamba with 19,483.

Key Facts

• PMAY-G targets rural poor households and is administered by the Union Ministry of Rural Development.

Himachal Pradesh reports excise, GST and VAT revenue figures to Assembly

2 September 2026

A written government response to the Himachal Pradesh Assembly gave excise, GST and VAT revenue figures for recent fiscal years. Excise revenue was ₹2,884.48 crore in 2025–26, while GST collections were ₹5,967.65 crore and VAT revenue exceeded ₹1,920 crore; excise revenue from 1 April to 31 July 2026 was ₹934.17 crore.

Key Facts

• GST is a multistage, destination-based indirect tax that replaced many earlier central and state levies.
• The GST Council , comprising Union and state finance ministers, governs GST rates, rules and regulations.

Himachal Pradesh constable recruitment receives 98,719 applications

2 September 2026

The Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission reported receiving 98,719 applications by 7 p.m. on 1 September for 1,088 police constable posts. The application deadline was set for 15 September after earlier extensions, and the Commission said it would not be extended further, citing the potential effect on physical tests and the recruitment timetable.

Key Facts

• The Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission recruits candidates for state government posts through competitive examinations.

CAG report records Himachal’s 2024–25 fiscal and revenue deficits

3 September 2026

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu tabled the Comptroller and Auditor General’s State Finances report in the Assembly. For 2024–25, the report recorded a fiscal deficit of ₹12,611.05 crore, or 5.44% of GSDP, and a revenue deficit of ₹6,804.61 crore, or 2.94% of GSDP. Salary, pension and interest payments totalled ₹33,266 crore during the year, limiting funds available for development.

Key Facts

• The CAG is India’s supreme audit institution, established under Article 148 of the Constitution.
• The CAG’s audit duties are also governed by the Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service Act, 1971.

Himachal Pradesh Assembly’s monsoon session ...