Will remove officers of doubtful integrity who got service extension, re-employment: CM

Shimla: All govt officials listed as officers of doubtful integrity (ODI), who have either been granted service extensions or re-employment, will be removed with immediate effect, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu assured the legislative assembly on Wednesday.On the opening day of the 13-day second phase of the assembly's budget session, Sukhu informed the house that only three govt officials whose names were in the ODI list were given service extension or re-employment in 2024. Responding to a question by BJP Una MLA Satpal Singh Satti, the CM informed that these officials included Vijay Kumar Rai, a tehsildar in the revenue department; Yudhvir Singh Thakur, an officer on special duty in treasuries, accounts and lotteries department; and Rai Bahadur Singh Negi, who is posted in the administrative reforms department of the state information commission. Sukhu added that in the past two years, two officials have also been removed from the ODI list. These include Mahender Lal, a grade II superintendent in the DC office of Lahaul-Spiti; and Rai Bahadur Singh Negi. The Una MLA claimed that officials in the ODI list are still being posted on key posts and some after service extension. Leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur said the high court had earlier sought the ODI list from the state govt and he wanted to know whether there are only these three officials in the state ODI list. To this, the CM responded that he did not have any knowledge about this and if the leader of opposition shared any such names, those officials will be removed immediately. Privilege motion against CM The BJP legislative party, led by Thakur, also submitted a notice for a privilege motion under Rule 75 to speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania against Sukhu, accusing him of allegedly making false statements in the house. The BJP MLAs raised slogans within the assembly premises against the CM before the start of Wednesday's sitting. Addressing media, the LoP claimed that the alleged lies inside were a breach of privilege and the dignity of the house had been completely undermined by the CM. "We can accept that in the first year he was new, and some things might have been said due to inexperience as a new chief minister, perhaps even by mistake. But now the fourth budget is about to be presented," said Thakur. He added BJP was talking not about just one statement by the CM, but many statements, of which they had details and which had been compiled. "He says things inside the house as if he is addressing a public rally. Ideally, even in a public rally, a chief minister should not lie," claimed Thakur. Apple growers await Rs 120cr payment As many as 57,182 apple orchardists in the state are still awaiting payments exceeding Rs 120 crore for their produce procured by state agency under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS). Responding to a question from Theog MLA Kuldeep Singh Rathore, horticulture minister Jagat Singh Negi informed that the state govt was making budgetary provisions to clear these dues. He added efforts were underway to coordinate with the central govt for the release of its share of Rs 16.47 crore under the scheme. Responding to Anni MLA Lokender Kumar's query, Negi informed a total of 98,506 metric tonnes of apple was procured by HPMC in the 2025 apple season in the state. To a question by BJP Churah MLA Hans Raj, the minister informed that over 1,009 hectares of additional land have been brought under apple cultivation in the state in 2024-25 and 2025-26. Negi stated that in 2025-26, under the mission of integrated development of horticulture, funds of Rs 14.55 lakh and Rs 12 lakh were allocated to Chamba and Sirmaur districts, respectively, to specifically promote high-density apple cultivation.