Himachal Cabinet Approves Rs 92 Lakh Mercedes Benz For Guv Despite State Facing Financial Crisis
The decision comes as the state reels under a looming fiscal deficit projected to exceed Rs 1 lakh crore in 2025–26, according to official reports.
The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, on Friday approved the purchase of a new Mercedes-Benz worth Rs 92 lakh for Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla.
The decision comes as the state reels under a looming fiscal deficit projected to exceed Rs 1 lakh crore in 2025–26, according to official reports.
'The Mercedes currently being used by the Governor has completed its service life. We have decided to procure a new vehicle for him," said Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan.
Shukla is presently using a Mercedes 350 acquired in 2019 during the previous BJP regime. Before that, the Raj Bhavan used a 2013-model Mercedes 250.
A Raj Bhavan official said a formal proposal was submitted to the government after a mechanical inspection of the current vehicle. 'So far, we haven't received any official response," the official added.
The decision follows a recent public disagreement between the Governor and Chief Minister over drug-related issues in the state.
In other key decisions, the Cabinet approved reservations for Other Backwards Classes (OBCs) in upcoming Urban Local Body (ULB) elections.
Previously, reservations were limited to SC/ST communities and women.
A dedicated commission will soon be formed to collect ward-wise OBC population data to allocate seats accordingly.
Himachal has 76 ULBs under the Urban Development Department. The last elections were held in March 2021, and the next are due in 2026.
The Cabinet also recommended convening the state Assembly's monsoon session from August 18 to September 2.
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