Himachal: All govt offices closed for 2 days to mourn ex-PM Manmohan Singh’s death

As mark of respect, Shimla municipal corporation partially postpones Winter Carnival scheduled to start from today to January 1.

All government facilities in Himachal Pradesh will remain closed on Friday and Saturday to mourn the passing away of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, officials said. The state government has already declared seven days’ state mourning from December 26 to January 1 as a mark of respect to the departed leader.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a meeting with Tibetan Spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at his residence in New Delhi on September 22, 2014. Singh breathed his last at AIIMS, New Delhi, on Thursday evening. (PTI Photo)

All government departments, boards, corporations and educational institutions will remain closed on December 27 and 28, the state government said in an official statement.

These two days will be treated as paid holidays for all daily-wage employees of the state government, it said.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation of Shimla has decided to partially postpone the Winter Carnival scheduled to be held from December 27 to January 1.

According to a notification issued by the civic body, all cultural activities scheduled during the carnival period stand postponed, while all other scheduled programmes will be conducted by January 2.

However, all the stalls that have been put up on the Ridge will remain operational during this period, it said.

Manmohan Singh, the architect of India’s economic reforms, passed away on Thursday night at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He was 92.

Leaders pay tributes

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and his deputy Mukesh Agnihotri expressed condolences and paid tributes to the former PM. Sukhu posted on X that Manmohan Singh’s contribution to Indian politics would be remembered for ages, while Agnihotri said that it was under the ex-PM’s leadership that India wrote a new chapter of economic reforms.

Leader of opposition and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said, “Manmohan Singh gave a new direction to India’s economy at the global level. During his prime ministership, the economic growth rate improved and India established itself as a fast developing economy.”

“A man of simple and straightforward nature, he made a huge contribution to the country as an economist. As Prime Minister, he made sincere efforts for uplifting all sections without being limited to the party (Congress), for which he will always be remembered. His leadership ability and the political tradition established by him will continue to inspire the country for a long time,” Thakur added.

Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla expressed condolences and paid tributes to former PM. “Dr Manmohan Singh was a visionary leader, and his contributions to India’s liberalisation reforms and his commitment to inclusive growth have left an indelible mark on our country’s history,” said the governor. He added that former PM will always be remembered as a true statesman who dedicated his life to the progress and prosperity of India.”