Q: You will be completing three years in power this month. How do you assess your government’s performance vis-à-vis the previous establishments?
A: We have been very successful in achieving targets and as soon as we came to power, we made our manifesto as our policy documents. I am glad that we have been able to achieve 90 per cent of them so far. We have been able to restore people’s confidence in government. Earlier, people used to think that the governments come and go. We have won the confidence of the people with our performance. We have our basic slogan of Sadak, Shiksha, Swasthya, Swarojgar, Swalamban and Swabhiman (Road, education, health, self-employment, self-dependent and self respect). Our efforts have been recognised by every agencies which asses performance of the government. Also, we won three out of the four Lok Sabha seats in the last General Elections and we increased our strength in Assembly by leading in 51 Assembly seats, though the BJP has 42 MLAs in the state. This year we got the best state award among the big state categories. We have also been adjudged the top state this year in the 20 point programme implementation, which is monitored by the Centre. Our ultimate aim is that every Himachali should have self-respect like that of the Himalaya.
Q: Identify five achievements of your government which give you satisfaction as the chief minister of the state? Tell us about your unfinished agenda which you would like to complete in the rest of your tenure?
A: First would be of having restored faith of the people in the government, which was fast eroding during the earlier governments. Secondly, I have identified myself as an “aam aadmi’s” chief minister. Thirdly, despite the fact that we have been deprived of so many things by the Centre, we are still able to achieve these heights in terms of development of the state. We have been adjudged best investment environment state. Fourth, in health indicators, we are at par with the best southern states, while in primary education we have made tremendous advancements. Fifth, I have been able to orient the policies of the state towards the rural economy, which has been acknowledged with the best award in the agricultural initiative. We are spending 12 per cent of our budget on agriculture, while the average for other states is 5 to 6 per cent. We are trying to bring in a silent revolution through agriculture, floriculture, herbiculture, horticulture in the economy of the state. More than `15,000 crores worth of herbs are exported from the country and we are targeting a maximum share in that. In fact, there are too many achievements to pick just five.
Q: According to you, what is the biggest challenge for being the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh?
A: Resource crunch is the biggest challenge for the state. We have given the country much more than what we have got back. We have given the best soldiers to the country. But the recruitment in the Army is based on a formula which does not favour us given that Himachal has much less population. Despite the fact that the Army is the first choice of the youth in Himachal, the Army comes to us last when they fail to recruit enough from other states. We have been demanding a special regiment, which could be called a Himalayan regiment, so that a large number of youth from this state can join the Army.
We have natural resources which are being exploited for national development, but we are not getting anything in return. If we start getting 12 per cent free power from all central power stations in the state, things could improve much. This resource crunch is affecting the development task as well. Neglect of Himachal can also be seen through the railways, which developing just 33 kms of line in the last 63 years. Had there been good rail, road and air connectivity, Himachal could have attracted much more tourists.
Q: With Gujrat, MP, Chhatisgarh and Bihar returning BJP and NDA governments back into power, how do you plan to repeat their feats?
A: Sure, we will repeat their feats. Earlier, the BJP had stigma that the party does not complete its tenure, as our earlier government was dismissed in 1992. But in 1993, when we came back to power, we completed our terms and again in 2007 we came back to power and its three years now. In 2012, we will again return to power with a much bigger margin.
Q: Though this year Himachal Pradesh managed to get the highest-ever apple yield, the problems concerning apple growers continue to haunt. How do you plan to address these problems?
A: The apple roots in Himachal are more than 100 years old. We have allocated more than Rs 80 crores this year for replantation of apple roots, which will substantially improve yield per hectare. Also, the Delhi government is discriminating against us by imposing six per cent marketing rates. Now, we have decided to stop sending apples to Delhi and in place are coming up with big markets in the state itself like Solan, Parwanoo, Parala in the Shimla district where equipment for controlled temperature would be installed for preservation of apples so that they are not sold in one go. We are working on a plan that the apple growers can sell their crops throughout the year and not in one go at throwaway prices.
Q: Your party, the BJP, has always been opposed to dynastic politics. But generally you have been accused of promoting your son, Anurag Thakur, Lok Sabha MP from Mandi, in the party. How would you counter this allegation?
A: It was not me who brought Anurag in politics. He was busy in cricket and not even had convassed for me during the last Assembly elections. Number of cases were filed against him by the earlier Congress government for being the president of Himachal Cricket Association.
He became a symbol of struggle against the Congress rule in the state. When I vacated the Lok Sabha seat, the party high command found that this is the young man who can do well in politics.
He was picked up for the Lok Sabha by-election in a meeting which I had not even attended. Anurag won the seat with the highest margin, which justified the confidence of the party in him.
Q: Your son and Lok Sabha MP Anurag Thakur has brought your state in the Guiness Book of Records for holding T20 cricket matches with the participation of maximum number of teams. How do you see it?
A: The state will definitely benefit. We have got one of the best stadium at Dharamshala, which has also come on the international tourist map.
His innovative scheme of having such a largescale tournament will bring benefits to the state I feel proud of him. I only pray to God that he does not become hot-headed and remains humble to the organisation, country and the common man.
Q. Himachal Pradesh has always been a power surplus state. But of late, many of the big and small hydel power stations were shut down for many days on account of either lack of water or flood. Does your government have any plan to ensure uninterrupted power production in the units?
A: With climate change and uncertain rains, the fear is there that it would affect power generation in the state.
We have come in agreement with private companies, with one in West Bengal, so that we get power from that in winter.
We are trying to have more and more power through such arrangements.
In the coming years, we will have enough power with more and more power stations coming up in the state, which have the clause of free power for Himachal Pradesh.
Q: Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to have a regulator for private universities. Why did you need such a law and do you expect that the Centre and other states should follow the HP model?
A: In fact, it was former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee who had told me that Himachal Pradesh had the potential to become an educational hub.
A number of private universities and institutions are coming up in the state. By establishing a regulators, we want to ensure that students from Himachal Pradesh have access to education, with the clause of reservation, and enough employment is generated.
Further, fees are controlled through this initiative and it is ensured that they do not charge any capitation fee from students, while their staffs are qualified.