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Himachal Pradesh has recorded a major milestone in human development, achieving a Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.78, which is higher than the national average of 0.63, according to the Himachal Pradesh Human Development Report 2025 released on Monday. The report highlights the State’s progress in education, health, and poverty reduction, reflecting its continued focus on inclusive and sustainable growth despite challenging geographical and climatic conditions. The report, released by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, notes that Himachal has now achieved an impressive 99.3 percent literacy rate, making it a fully literate State. Over the past few years, Himachal has shown exceptional improvement in national rankings for reading and writing skills, moving from the 21st position in 2021 to the 5th position in the latest national survey. This achievement underscores the State’s consistent investment in education and the determination of its people to overcome barriers to learning. The data also points to significant improvements in public health. The infant mortality rate has fallen to 21 per 1,000 live births, while life expectancy has increased to 72 years. These indicators, coupled with a poverty rate now below 7 per cent, reflect the success of the state’s healthcare initiatives and social welfare measures aimed at improving living standards across both rural and urban areas. The report highlights that Himachal has not only invested in infrastructure such as roads, industries, agriculture and horticulture, but has also focused on key human development areas like education, health, women empowerment, elderly care, and rural upliftment. This balanced approach, it states, has laid the foundation for a strong, future-ready society. At the same time, the report expresses concern over the growing impact of climate change, which has been increasingly affecting the state’s fragile mountain ecosystem. In recent years, Himachal has suffered heavy monsoon losses due to floods, cloudbursts, and landslides, all linked to changing climate patterns. The report stresses the need for sustainable growth that protects the State’s forests, rivers, and glaciers from further degradation. To address these challenges, the State Government has initiated several eco-friendly and self-employment schemes. The Rajiv Gandhi Self-Employment Start-up Scheme, with an outlay of ₹680 crore, offers a 50 percent subsidy for the purchase of electric taxis, promoting both green mobility and entrepreneurship. Similarly, the Rajiv Gandhi Self-Employment Solar Energy Scheme provides interest subsidies of five percent in tribal areas and four percent in non-tribal areas for setting up ground-mounted solar power projects ranging from 100 kW to 2 MW. Himachal has also become the first hill State to adopt a comprehensive Electric Vehicle policy, aiming to electrify public transport by 2030. These initiatives not only contribute to reducing carbon emissions but also align with the State’s commitment to sustainable and climate-resilient development. The Himachal Pradesh Human Development Report 2025 portrays the State’s journey as one of determination, balance, and foresight—where education, health, equity, and environmental responsibility continue to move hand in hand toward a stronger and greener future.
