Kavinder Gupta sworn in as Himachal governor, says post belongs to no political party

Former Ladakh LG Kavinder Gupta was sworn in as the governor of Himachal Pradesh in a ceremony held at Lok Bhavan here on Tuesday, following which he said the position does not belong to any political party. The governor works for the overall development of the state and society, he added. Gupta performed a traditional pooja with his family members before proceeding to the oath-taking ceremony. He took the oath in Hindi. Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia administered the oath of office and secrecy to him. Earlier, Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta read out the warrant of appointment issued by the President of India after which the governor's signature on the charge certificate was obtained. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, several Cabinet ministers, senior civil and police officers and other prominent personalities were present on the occasion. Haryana Governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh also attended the ceremony.

For the first time at the Lok Bhavan, the ceremony began with the singing of Vande Mataram, followed by the national anthem. A statement issued here said the governor was presented with an impressive guard of honour on the occasion. Later, interacting with media, Gupta expressed gratitude to the president for his appointment to the constitutional office. He 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 to complete them on priority. He noted that Himachal Pradesh is a leading state in education and said he would focus on improving the quality of education here. 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. Referring to his earlier experience as the lieutenant governor (LG) of Ladakh, 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, adding that the hospitality of the people of Himachal Pradesh had deeply impressed him.

Highlighting his priorities, the governor said he would work towards promoting environmental protection, particularly enhancing the state's green cover, preserving cultural heritage and strengthening tourism with special emphasis on religious pilgrimages. He said special attention would also be given to tribal development, promotion of natural farming, youth welfare and strengthening the ongoing campaign against drug abuse. Gupta added that efforts would also be made to ensure that the central schemes effectively improve infrastructure and connectivity in remote areas of the state. The governor further said that initiatives such as value-based learning, counselling and education would be strengthened to make the campaign for a drug-free Himachal more effective. Sports initiatives like Khelo India could also be linked with such efforts to engage the youth positively, he added. Gupta also emphasised the importance of development in border areas adjoining China and said that schemes like the Vibrant Village Programme would be promoted. He further said special efforts would be made to achieve the goal of tuberculosis elimination in the state.