Financial benefits worth Rs. 1000 crore provided to employees of the State : C.M.

December 1, 2008: Financial benefits worth about Rs.1000 crore had been provided by enhancing the salary of State employees by 23 percent in a short span of 10 months by the State Government. Rs. 28 crore to be spent over Jahu- Kalkhar road, Rs 143 crore to be spent under NREGA in district Mandi during current financial year.

This was stated by Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister while addressing an impressive public meeting at Baldwara in Sarkaghat Sub-Division of district Mandi after he dedicated LWSS to Baldwara group of villages completed at a cost of Rs 1.36 crore benefitting about 4000 population of 8 adjoining villages, today.

Chief Minister said that the State employees had been provided 10 percent interim relief and 13 percent by way of DA instalments thereby clearing all the financial benefits due to them without any demand from the employees' unions. He said that whatever was due to state employees had already been cleared and the State Government expected implementation of the policies and programmes in every hook and corner of the State by the State employees. Prof. Dhumal said that education, road, health were on the priority agenda of the State Government to generates people self employment to make them self-reliant in all respects. He said that every child was being provided quality education at his door-step, to equip him with best of the skills to lead a self-respected and self-dependant life. He said that in the age of excellence, hard work and quality education had emerged the need of the hour which was being promoted in public private participation.

Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh was land of warriors and brave soldiers who had been contributing significantly towards the national security and all emergencies. He said that the brave sons of the State had led many missions at national front and within the country. Whenever their services were required bringing laurels to the nation and the State. He said that people of the State were proud of their sons and committed towards the welfare of serving and ex-servicemen.

Dhumal said that free soil tests of farmland were being carried out as a targeted programme and one lakh farmers would be provided free soil health cards. He said that Rs 155 crore agricultural schemes had been launched in the State to raise 28080 poly-houses, drip irrigation facilities and mini-micro irrigation schemes for farmers to strengthen the farming economy. He said that with the strengthening of farming sector the economy of the State would get strengthened automatically.

Chief Minister said that the construction labour had been brought under the fold of insurance scheme with a view to protect them from any emergency. He said that now the construction workers would be also getting the insurance benefits under the new programme. He directed authorities to renovate Bachat Bhawan at Baldwara to facilitate local people, besides constructing toilets at Baldwara. He announced Rs 15 lakh for upper storey of GSSS Baldwara. Chief Minister was presented a draft of Rs. 51, 000 by Baldwara IPH employees as contribution towards Chief Minister Relief fund for which he thanked the employees.

Ravinder Ravi, IPH Minister said that State Government was endeavouring a minimum of 70 ltrs of water per person per day. He said that 17000 villages had been provided drinking water in the State. He said that 1489 habitations would be provided safe drinking water in district Mandi. He said that Rs 1350 crore were being spent under various IPH activities. He said that areas being fed by water tankers during summer would be provided permanent solution. He said that Rs. 9.82 crore IPH schemes had been approved for Gopalpur segment for 2008-09.

Inder Singh, Local MLA welcomed the Chief Minister and lauded the decisions he had taken to benefit every section of society in a short span of 10 months. He thanked Chief Minister for providing Rs. 14 crore under NABARD for construction of about 100 km of road in Gopalpur segment during current financial year. He said that Rs 34 crore was being spent over 22 new water supply schemes. He said that 33 KV Sub-Station at a cost of Rs 4 crore was also being set up at Kalkhar in the near future.

Jai Ram Thakur, MLA and President State BJP, Dile Ram, MLA, Mohan Joshi, Chairman, Milkfed, Dalip Thakur, former Gopalpur BJP Mandal President, Saroj Dhumal, President, BJP Gopal Mandal, Gyano Devi Pradhan, Gram Panchyat, Baldwara, Onkar Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, Prakesh Mishra, C.E., PWD R.K. Sharma, C.E. IPH, senior officers and party functionaries were present among others on the occasion.

Prem Kumar Dhumal dedicates developmental projects worth Rs. 8.56 crore in Gopalpur Assembly segment

December 1, 2008: Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister today dedicated landmark developmental projects valued at Rs. 8.56 crore to the people of Gopalpur assembly segment of district Mandi which included the spacious and impressive building of Mini Secretariat completed at a cost of Rs. 5.30 crore to house all the offices of Sub Division under one roof, girls hostel building at Govt. Degree College, Barchhwar, completed at a cost of Rs. 1.90 crore and Baldwara LWSS completed at a cost of Rs. 1.36 crore besides launching tele-counselling services in Sub Divisional Office, 176 Red Ribbon Clubs and flagged off rally, Publicity Mobile Van, and inaugurated Red Ribbon Mela to mark the World Aids Day, State level function at Sarkaghat to draw the attention of the people towards AIDS problem as also create awareness towards the declining rate of female population in some of the districts of the State and said that the State Government would explore possibilities and make efforts to open medical college in Sarkaghat revealed Chief Minister in his public address at Sarkaghat.

Addressing a massive public meeting at Sarkaghat, Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that the mini secretariat impressive buildings would be constructed in all the Sub Divisions of the State in a phased manner to provide people all administrative facilities under one roof and said that mini secretariat of Sarkaghat would be a model of the same for replication in other Sub Divisions as the State Government was committed to provide people efficient transparent and responsive administration at their door steps. He revealed that Rs. 198 crore central funded project had also been sanctioned for agriculture promotion sector to undertake modern farming practices in the State and would be in addition to Rs.155 crore project already sanctioned.

Chief Minister congratulated the public representatives and district administration for emerging 1st district of the State which had the distinction of becoming Open Defecation Free (ODF) as all the 473 gram panchayats had adopted the Total Sanitation Programme willingly to make their habitations totally ODF in the State. He appealed to people to cooperate with the State Government to get AIDS test done of the bride and groom, pre marriage HIV test, free of cost so that the family could lead a secure and healthy life. He said that there was urgent need to create mass awareness about the HIV, AIDS implications. He hoped that the people would lend their cooperative hand in making this campaign a grand success and expected Mandi district to take the lead.

Dhumal said that the State Government was encouraging public private participation in creation of quality infrastructure to make HP the role model in every sector. He said that the first IT University of the country was set up under same model by Jaypee Associates. He said that seats had been kept reserved to Himachali candidates in the JP IT University and similarly 50 percent seats would be reserved in ESI Medical College proposed for district Mandi. He said that many more such avenues were being explored for speedy development of the State. He said that efforts would be made to lay the foundation stone during December so that college and hospital could start functioning from academic session of 2011. He said that IIT classes would also be started from 2009-10 academic session at Mandi Government College. He said that stop gap arrangement had been made to start the classes. He said that 2675 bighas of land had already been transferred at Kamand in the name of IIT.

Chief Minister said that Rs. 14 crore had been sanctioned for the construction of Harsi-Pattan bridge, Rs. 60 lakh over Science Laboratory in Govt. College Sarkaghat. He said that 10% hike would be effective from January, 2009 to all social security pensioners. He assured JBT trainees of fulfilment of the commitment towards their welfare in mutual agreement. He announced private wards in Sarkaghat Civil Hospital by adding SMO's office building with the hospital. He also assured people to take up Central School demand of the area with Govt. of India and extend all possible assistance and also take steps for opening blood bank in Sarkaghat. He announced opening of ITI at Bhadrota area.

Dhumal congratulated the people of Sarkaghat Sub Division and hoped that they would be facilitated with all administrative facilities at one place and deliver them prompt services. Later, he also listened to public grievances at Sarkaghat. Chief Minister was presented at drafft of Rs. 17,100 and Rs. 5100 by Onkar Sharma on behalf of SDM Office and Revenue Officers of Sarkaghat, Rs. 51,000 by Agriculture Officers and Officials, Mandi, Rs. 51,000 by Electrical Division Sarkaghat, Rs. 51,000 by PWD Division Sarkaghat, Rs. 3100 by Cap. Baldev Chauhan, Rs. 5100 by Joginder Pal Kaushal, Rs. 11,000 by Zila Basket Ball Association, Rs. 5400 by Roop Singh Parmaer and Rs. 5100 by Animal Husbandry officials as contributions towards CM's Relief Fund on the occasion.

Jai Ram Thakur, MLA and President, State BJP thanked the people of the district especially Gopalpur for giving massive mandate to the party in assembly elections. He also thanked Chief Minister for getting Mandi district IIT and Medical College which was a long cherished dream of the people of the district. He criticised the previous Government for misleading people of the district in the name of Government Medical College by notifying the same from backdate. He said that ESI hospital and medical college at Mandi would be fully funded by the Central Government. Dile Ram, MLA and former Minister said that 50 percent reservation to women in PRIs was a historic decision thereby providing women proportional representation besides enhancement in daily wages and social security pension. He said that uniform and balanced development was taking place.

Col. Inder Singh, local MLA welcomed the Chief Minister and thanked him for dedicating milestone development schemes to the people of the area. He congratulated Chief Minister for taking land-mark decisions which had benefitted every section of the society. He detailed various developmental activities undertaking in the area during current financial year. He assured the people that every village will get adequate water for drinking and irrigation in coming years.

Roop Singh Thakur, MLA, Damodar Dass, former MLA, Mohan Lal Joshi, Chairman, MILKFED, Ajay Rana, Vice President, Mandi BJP, Baldev Saini, Chairman, Zila Parishad, Mandi, Saroj Dhumal, President, Gopalpur BJP Mandal, Onkar Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, Dr. O.P. Sharma, Director of Education, Dr. Sulakshna Puri, Director, Health Services, Prakash Mishra, CE PWD, R.K. Sharma, CE, IPH, senior officers and senior party functionaries were present among others.