NAHAN March 8: Marking International Women’s Day, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday announced a 25 percent reservation for women in Class-III government jobs, signalling a major policy push aimed at strengthening women’s participation in public services.
Addressing the state-level Women’s Day function in Nahan in Sirmaur district, the Chief Minister said the government would soon bring a law to implement the quota in all Class-III recruitments across departments.
In another announcement, Sukhu said the government would launch a special recruitment drive for women Sub-Inspectors in the police department, adding that women’s presence in law enforcement must increase to make policing more inclusive.
The Chief Minister also announced ₹500 crore for the development of Nahan Medical College, promising better infrastructure and upgraded medical facilities. He further said the Mahila Samman Rashi would be doubled from ₹1 lakh to ₹2 lakh.
Highlighting women-centric initiatives, Sukhu said the state government had given daughters equal rights in ancestral property up to 150 bighas and was bearing the cost of higher education for children of widowed women under the Mukhyamantri Sukh Shiksha Yojana.
He added that the government was also considering a monthly pension of ₹1,500 for women from next year.
Using the platform to attack the Centre and the opposition, Sukhu said February 1, 2026 would remain a “black day” for Himachal Pradesh, alleging that the Central government stopped ₹10,000 crore annual RDG financial assistance to the state. He also criticised BJP legislators for walking out of the Assembly when a special relief package for disaster-affected families was proposed.
Earlier, Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil, Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan and Vinay Kumar also addressed the gathering and stressed the need for greater opportunities and respect for women in society.
