Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu unveiled an ambitious ₹12,000 crore Green State Mission on March 19, 2025, targeting 90% renewable energy reliance and 30% EV adoption by 2027. The plan, lauded as India’s most comprehensive sub-national climate strategy, positions Himachal as a testbed for sustainable development in fragile ecosystems.
Pillars of the Green Transition
- Energy:
- 626 MW Solar Push: Floating PV plants on Govind Sagar (100 MW) and Chamera (75 MW) reservoirs.
- Green Panchayats: 100 villages to achieve energy independence via 500 kW solar microgrids.
- Hydro-Solar Hybrids: Retrofitting old dams like Bhakra with panels to offset silt-reduced output.
- Transport:
- E-Mobility Fund: ₹800 crore for 500 e-buses and 2,000 charging stations. Hamirpur to pilot India’s first EV-only district.
- Hydrogen Trials: CSIR-IICT partnering to convert 50 HRTC buses to H2 fuel by 2026.
- Ecology:
- Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan: 10 lakh saplings of deodar and buransh (rhododendron) for landslide mitigation.
- Carbon Credits: Farmers to earn ₹5,000/tonne CO2 via agroforestry on apple orchard margins.
Challenges & Opportunities
While industrialists applaud tax breaks for green tech, logistics hurdles persist. “Solar panel transport to Spiti costs 3x more than plains,” notes developer Arjun Thakur. However, Norway’s Climate Investment Fund has pledged ₹2,200 crore, betting on Himachal’s 200,000 MT/year green hydrogen potential.
For citizens, the shift is tangible. Shimla resident Priya Chauhan shares, “We’re buying subsidized e-scooters and attending solar cooperative workshops.” As glaciers retreat and apple yields fluctuate, Himachal’s green gamble could redefine Himalayan resilience.