Cabinet expansion likely before budget session: Himachal CM

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Friday said cabinet expansion in the state to fill vacant posts is likely before the budget session of the Assembly.

The session will begin from February 25 and Thakur will present his third state budget on March 6.

Addressing a press conference in Nurpur, the chief minister said the Assembly Speaker will be elected as well on February 26.

A new Speaker needs to be elected after Rajeev Bindal resigned from the post to become the president of the BJP state unit.

The expansion of the cabinet will be done to fill two ministerial berths, which have been lying vacant for several months.

Anil Sharma, who was the Power minister, had to resign after his son Aashray contested on a Congress ticket from the Mandi Lok Sabha seat during general elections last year.

Kishan Kapoor, who was the Dharamshala MLA and Civil Supplies minister, had resigned from the post after he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kangra.

Responding to a question on the state's financial condition, the chief minister claimed that the Congress is responsible for the poor economic condition in the state.

To increase the revenue of the government, Thakur said the departments of tourism, mining and GST are working towards effectively implementing the rules.

Work is being done to implement new policies to increase the state's revenue, he said pointing out that Kangra district will be included in the Central government's Rs 2,400 crore horticulture project.

Stressing that tourism is the main priority of his government, Thakur said emphasis will be on strengthening roads and airways with steps being taken to develop new tourist places in the state.