CHANDIGARH: After taking the oath as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Kavinder Gupta highlighted the need to accelerate development in border areas near China and promote schemes like the Vibrant Village Programme.
The 66-year-old Gupta was sworn in at a simple yet impressive ceremony held at Lok Bhavan in Shimla. Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, administered the oath of office and secrecy to him. Gupta took the oath in Hindi.
Earlier in the morning, Gupta performed a traditional pooja with his family members before proceeding to the oath-taking ceremony.
Later, interacting with media persons, Gupta said he would work strictly in accordance with the Constitution and maintain close coordination with the state government. “The office of the Governor is a constitutional responsibility. The Governor does not belong to any political party and works for the overall development of the state and society,” he said.
Gupta said he would strive to carry forward the initiatives started by previous Governors and would seek the cooperation of the Chief Minister and the state government in completing them on priority. He said Himachal Pradesh is a leading state in the field of education and added that he would focus on improving the quality of education in the state.
Gupta’s appointment as the Himachal Pradesh Governor on March 5 came after a turbulent seven-month tenure as the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.
Referring to his earlier experience, he said the geographical conditions of Himachal Pradesh are similar to those of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. “During my tenure in Ladakh, I travelled more than 10,000 kilometres within seven months. I am familiar with the challenges of hilly regions,” he said.
Gupta said he plans a similar grassroots approach in Himachal and added, “I will undertake an extensive tour of all 12 districts within the next three to four months to understand local issues firsthand.”
Highlighting his priorities, Gupta emphasised the importance of development in border areas adjoining China and said schemes like the Vibrant Village Programme would be promoted. He added that he would work towards promoting environmental protection, enhancing the state’s green cover, preserving cultural heritage and strengthening tourism, with special emphasis on religious tourism.
He also stressed the importance of quality education, skill development and the effective implementation of the National Education Policy by integrating Indian values with modern education.
Gupta said special attention would also be given to tribal development, promotion of natural farming, youth welfare and strengthening the ongoing campaign against drug abuse. Efforts would also be made to ensure that central schemes are effectively implemented to improve infrastructure and connectivity in remote areas of the state.
He further said initiatives such as education, value-based learning and counselling would be strengthened to make the campaign for a drug-free Himachal more effective. He said sports initiatives like Khelo India could also be linked with such efforts to engage youth positively.
For the first time at Lok Bhavan, the ceremony began with the singing of Vande Mataram, followed by the National Anthem of India. Vande Mataram was also sung again after the oath-taking ceremony concluded. Gupta was presented with an impressive Guard of Honour on the occasion.
Ashim Kumar Ghosh along with his wife Mitra Ghosh, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Lady Governor Bindu Gupta, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Speaker of the Himachal Vidhan Sabha Kuldeep Singh Pathania and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur were among those present at the ceremony.
Earlier, Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta read out the warrant of appointment issued by the President of India. Secretary to the Governor C.P. Verma then obtained the signature of the Governor on the charge certificate.