Minister Directs HIMUDA to Expedite Key Projects Approving Annual Work Plan

Shimla : Himachal Pradesh Housing and Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani has directed the state's Housing and Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) to expedite the execution of all ongoing and proposed development projects.

Presiding over the 59th meeting of the Board of Directors (BoD) in Shimla, the minister emphasized the critical need for absolute transparency, operational efficiency, and public-centric service delivery.  To fuel these initiatives, the BoD formally approved an ambitious annual work plan and budget estimate amounting to ₹251 crore

. A key component of this newly cleared fiscal blueprint includes a dedicated allocation of ₹52 crore specifically for strategic land procurement.

Minister Dharmani noted that proactive land acquisition would substantially strengthen HIMUDA’s long-term institutional capacity, enabling the authority to undertake well-planned affordable housing and urban development projects to meet the growing aspirations of the state's residents.

 In a significant administrative decision, the board approved a one-time settlement policy for the long-standing HIMUDA colony at Rakkar Phase-IV located in the Una district. This policy is expected to provide substantial relief to eligible allottees and clear years of unresolved procedural issues.

 Reviewing financial health, officials revealed that HIMUDA achieved a turnover of ₹200 crore against its earlier budget estimate of ₹117 crore for the financial year, marking a massive leap in its revenue generation and operational performance. To streamline ground operations, the minister instructed the authority to dispose of commercial and residential properties across multiple locations through a fully transparent public auction process.

Furthermore, to elevate institutional professionalism, the board greenlit major updates to its Contractor Enlistment Rules and sanctioned a modern corporate makeover for the main HIMUDA head office located at Nigam Vihar in Shimla.