Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 18 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta, who previously served as the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, on Saturday said his first year in constitutional office and over four months as Governor have been devoted to connecting with people, promoting tourism, encouraging natural farming, renewable energy and youth development, while strengthening coordination between institutions and the government.
Speaking to ANI in Shimla ahead of completing one year in constitutional office on July 18 and around 130 days as Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Gupta said he considers public outreach and development-oriented initiatives his foremost priorities.
“I am grateful to the Hon’ble President of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving me the opportunity to serve in this constitutional position. Public service has been my guiding principle throughout this journey,” Gupta said.
Reflecting on his tenure in Ladakh, Gupta said the Union Territory was not unfamiliar to him as he had earlier served as Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and Deputy Chief Minister of the erstwhile state.
“Ladakh was never an unknown place for me. During nearly seven-and-a-half months there, I travelled around 12,000 kilometres by road, reaching some of the remotest regions. My effort was to ensure that governance reached the people instead of people having to chase the administration,” he said.
Gupta said his administration introduced several citizen-centric initiatives, including doorstep public services through online governance, faster recruitment processes and educational reforms.
“One of our major achievements was declaring Class 10 examination results within 48 hours, enabling eligible students to secure employment without unnecessary delays. We also resolved many public issues through dialogue rather than confrontation,” he said.
He said Ladakh’s enormous renewable energy potential remained one of his key focus areas.
“With over 300 sunny days annually, Ladakh has immense potential for solar energy. I visited renewable energy projects, including the 500 MW solar project, and encouraged geothermal energy experiments in collaboration with ONGC. We also improved helicopter connectivity to remote areas, upgraded district hospitals and promoted winter sports through the Khelo India initiative,” Gupta added.
He said Ladakh’s sports infrastructure also received a boost with new stadiums and the implementation of a dedicated sports policy.
“Young people in Ladakh have tremendous sporting talent despite difficult terrain and high altitude. We worked to provide them with better infrastructure and opportunities,” he added.
Speaking about his priorities in Himachal Pradesh, Gupta said the state possesses enormous untapped potential in tourism, horticulture, wellness, renewable energy and natural farming.
“Himachal has unique strengths. Religious tourism, eco-tourism and adventure tourism can together transform the state’s economy. There is immense scope to develop an integrated pilgrimage circuit connecting Himachal’s famous shrines with the Vaishno Devi route,” he said.
Gupta said he intends to present a comprehensive proposal to the Prime Minister on developing such a tourism circuit.
He also stressed the need to promote natural farming, medicinal plants and value addition to horticultural produce.
“Himachal’s universities, horticulture institutions and agriculture scientists should directly connect with villages. Researchers should adopt villages and help farmers improve productivity, packaging, branding and marketing so that local youth become job creators instead of job seekers,” he said.
The Governor said Himachal Pradesh could emerge as one of India’s leading green energy states because of its abundant hydropower and renewable energy resources.
“There is tremendous potential for renewable energy, particularly in districts like Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur. Solar power, green hydrogen and other clean energy initiatives can generate employment while protecting the environment. We must work together with both the state and central governments to fully realise this potential,” he said.
He welcomed the Centre’s initiatives in hydrogen energy and said clean technologies would significantly reduce India’s dependence on fossil fuels.
“The Prime Minister’s initiatives in green hydrogen represent an important step towards an energy-secure and self-reliant India. These technologies will play a major role in addressing climate change while creating new economic opportunities,” Gupta said.
He also advocated wider adoption of electric vehicles and fuel conservation.
“The government must lead by example. Universities, government institutions and society should collectively promote electric mobility and reduce fuel consumption wherever possible,” he added.
Gupta said tourism infrastructure must keep pace with rising tourist arrivals.
“Parking facilities, hotels and other tourism infrastructure need to be expanded while ensuring environmental protection. Sustainable development should remain our guiding principle,” he said.
He said wellness tourism based on Himachal’s favourable climate, Ayurveda and Panchakarma could also emerge as a major employment generator.
“Himachal’s climate itself is a natural asset. Wellness centres combining traditional Indian healthcare practices with modern facilities can attract visitors from across the country and abroad,” he said.
As Chancellor of state universities, Gupta said higher educational institutions should play a more active role in solving real-world problems.
“Our universities should focus on innovation, research and community engagement. Scientific research must directly benefit farmers, entrepreneurs and local communities,” he said.
He added that universities should actively contribute to organic farming, medicinal plant research, climate resilience and rural entrepreneurship.
Expressing concern over drug abuse, Gupta said governments alone cannot solve the problem.
“Society, educational institutions, families and governments must work together to eliminate drug abuse. This should become a social movement,” he said.
When asked about the issue of Tibet, Gupta said India has consistently supported the Tibetan people.
“I recently had the opportunity to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He repeatedly expressed gratitude to the Government of India. I sincerely hope that the aspirations of the Tibetan people are resolved peacefully in the future,” he said. (ANI)
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