Chief Minister Sukhu Becomes First Himachal CM to Stay Overnight in Remote Bara Bhangal, Announces Major Development Measures

Dharamsala, June 27,2026: Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday visited the remote tribal village of Bara Bhangal in Kangra district and became the first Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh to stay overnight in the region.
During his visit, the Chief Minister interacted with local residents to understand their day-to-day challenges and assured them that the state government would take every possible step to improve their quality of life. Earlier in the day, he also inspected areas affected by recent natural disasters and reviewed the damage.
Addressing a public gathering, the Chief Minister announced a series of development and welfare initiatives for the region.
He said that all eligible women in Bara Bhangal would receive ₹1,500 per month under the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana. To ensure uninterrupted electricity, generator sets would be installed to provide round-the-clock power supply.
To promote education, the government will provide incentives to school-going children from Bara Bhangal and designate nearby institutions, including schools in Bir and other accessible locations, as nodal schools to facilitate their education.
The Chief Minister also directed officials to prepare a comprehensive plan to develop Bara Bhangal as an eco-tourism destination while preserving its fragile ecology. In a major boost to local farmers, he announced that the state government would provide a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Rajmah cultivated through natural farming.
He instructed Agriculture Department officials to connect local farmers with natural farming programmes and ensure they receive all necessary technical and financial support. Announcing another important measure, he said the government would procure mutton from local sheep rearers to strengthen their livelihoods.
"The government is committed to ensuring that even the remotest regions receive the benefits of development," the Chief Minister said, assuring residents that their concerns would be addressed on priority.
Notably, no Chief Minister had visited Bara Bhangal since 2011. While some former Chief Ministers had toured the region, none had stayed overnight, making Mr. Sukhu's visit a first in the state's history.
Congress leaders described the Chief Minister's overnight stay as a symbol of a sensitive and people-centric administration. It  said that for the first time since Independence, Sukhu is the only  Chief Minister who had visited Bara Bhangal and stayed with the people, demonstrating the government's commitment to taking governance to the remotest corners of Himachal Pradesh.
Located between the Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal mountain ranges at an altitude of about 2,540 metres, Bara Bhangal is one of Himachal Pradesh's most isolated tribal settlements. Cut off from the rest of the state for nearly six months every year due to heavy snowfall and lacking motorable road connectivity, the village has preserved its unique Himalayan way of life despite its geographical isolation.