Kullu : Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur performed inaugurations and foundation stones of 17 developmental projects worth about Rs. 60 crore at Mela Ground Banjar in Banjar assembly constituency of Kullu district today.
While addressing a largely attended public meeting at Mela Ground, Banjar as part of ‘Pragtisheel Himachal: Sathapna Ke 75 Varsh’ programme, Chief Minister said that the celebration of 75 years of the formation of the State was not going well with the Congress leaders as they were perturbed by seeing the overwhelming response of the people, the Government was getting.
He assured the Congress leaders that these celebrations have nothing to do with politics as it was an attempt of the Government to thank everyone who has contributed immensely in making Himachal Pradesh a most developing State of the country.He said that credit of this glorious history of the State goes to the hardworking and honest people of the State, besides able leadership the State got.
Jai Ram Thakur said that all the Chief Ministers right from Dr Y.S. Parmar, Ramlal Thakur, Shanta Kumar, Virbhadra Singh and Prem Kumar Dhumal have made immense contributions in the development of this State.
He said that the literacy rate at the formation of the State was 4.8 per cent whereas today the literacy rate of the State has crossed the mark of 83 per cent. He said that at the time of formation of the State, there were only 228 kms roads in the State in 1948, which today has gone upto nearly 40,000 kms.
He said that Rs. 60,000 crore PMGSY started by the late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had been proving boon to the State as nearly 51 per cent roads were constructed under this scheme which has paved a way for a sound foundation of development of the State.
He said that far flung areas like Banjar have immensely benefited from the PMGSY. Chief Minister said that all his five predecessors got the opportunity to work in normal conditions and circumstances, but he had to face the uphill task to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic for almost two years.
He said that even during this testing time the State not only successfully brought home over 2.50 lakh people stranded in different parts of the country, but also became the first State in the country to vaccinate cent per cent eligible population of the State.
Jai Ram Thakur said that daily of the daily wagers was enhanced by Rs. 50 per day during this year and record increase has been made in the honorarium of Para workers to provide them relief. He said that social security pension of various categories was increased and the Government was spending over Rs. 1300 crore as compared to Rs. 400 crore spent by the previous Congress Government.
He said that 3.35 lakh free gas connections were provided to the needy under the Mukhya Mantri Grihini Suvidha Yojna and Rs. 3000 per month assistance was being provided to a family with chronically ill patients under Sahara Yojna.
He said that 50 per cent concession has been provided in bus fare to women passengers and 125 units free power to domestic consumers. He said that the Congress leaders were now accusing the Government for providing freebees to the people.
Chief Minister said that the Congress party in the country and the State was leaderless and issueless. He said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on the so called ‘Bharat Jodo’ Yatra and their 8 MLAs at Goa have left the Congress and joined BJP.
He said that Rahul Gandhi was even measuring the wheat flour in litres, which shows its ignorance. He said that in Himachal Pradesh also Congress Working President and one sitting MLA have joined BJP. He said that this shows that the people of the country has lost faith in the Congress and has acknowledged that Nation was safe only in the hands of BJP.
He said that the slogan of ‘Reevaz Badlege’ was not going well with the Congress leaders and Congress MLA was even claiming that what could not be achieved by a big leader like Virbhadra Singh could never be achieved by a common man Chief Minister.
He urged the people to give a befitting reply to these leaders so that they could understand that what could not be achieved by a ‘Bade Log’ could be achieved by ‘Chhote log’.The Chief Minister announced providing about Rs. 5 crore for construction of different roads and other works in the area.
He announced construction of Indoor stadium at Sainj, upgradation of two Health Sub Centres to PHCs, upgradation of few educational institutions of the constituency on the occasion. Jai Ram Thakur said that the double engine Governments at the Centre and the State ensured that the pace of development goes uninterrupted and also gets accelerated. He said that Bulk Drug Pharma Park has been sanctioned for the State, which would prove a blessing for the whole State and Una district in particular would be immensely benefitted from the project as it would provide employment to over 50,000 youths of the State.
Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated Rs. 3.34 crore new building of BDO office Banjar, Rs. 2.89 crore helipad ground Dhameuli at Banjar, Rs. 2.17 crore Bathad to Shill Shrunger bridge over Plachan khad, Rs. 1.50 crore Government Senior Secondary School Manglore, Rs. 8.55 crore LWSS Kotla Gopalpur in tehsil Banjar, Rs. 2.60 crore 33 KV Sub Station Bahu, Rs. 19.24 lakh Inspection Hut at Bandal and Rs. 22.25 lakh Range Office at Banjar.
Jai Ram Thakur laid foundation stones of Rs. 1.12 crore Health Sub Centre Najan, Rs. 1.01 crore Government Senior Secondary School Hirab, Rs. 1.65 crore Executive Engineer Office building at Banjar, Rs. 1.80 crore bailey bridge at Gheligad over Jibhi khad bye pass road Banjar, Rs. 9.41 crore additional source to PWSS Jesta Manjali, Parli etc. in tehsil Bhuntar, Rs. 5.60 crore vehicle parking at Rau Nala, Rs. 14.29 crore Mini Secretariat building at tehsil Sainj.
Education Minister Govind Singh Thakur said that the State has witnessed unparalleled development during the last over four and a half years and credit of this goes to the welfare and development oriented policies of the State Government. He said that several schemes such as Mukhya Mantri Grihini Suvidha Yojna and Sahara Yojna have brought a remarkable change in the lives of the common people.
He said that the Chief Minister has ensured equitable development of all areas of the State without any political vendetta and vengeance.Local MLA Surender Shourie, while welcoming the Chief Minister in his home constituency, said that the area has witnessed all round progress during the tenure of the present State Government.
He said that several ambitious projects were being executed or were nearing completion during this period. He said that work on Banjar bye pass was in progress which would meet the long pending demand of the area.
He said that work on various ambitious road projects were being executed in the constituency to ensure better road connectivity in the area and several water supply schemes have been executed in the constituency. He also urged the Chief Minister to sympathetically consider a few developmental demands of the area.
BJP District President Bhim Sen Sharma, Banjar Mandal BJP President Baldev Mahant, Deputy Commissioner Kullu Ashutosh Garg, SP Gurdev Sharma were present on the occasion among others.