Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh performed the Bhumi Pujan of ‘Project Construction and Upgradation of various roads in the Dharamshala Towm’ under Urban Infrastructure Development Schemes for Small and Medium Town (UIDSSMT) under JNNURM at Dharamshala today.Speaking on the occasion, Shri Virbhadra Singh said that 48 roads measuring 29.758 kms would be upgraded to cement concrete roads in the Dharamshala town by spending Rs. 2094.50 lakh. The Dharamshala town has been bifurcated into three parts under the project which include 11 roads having length of 10.267 kms in Meclodganj area, 24 roads of 8.724 kms length in Dharamshala and 13 roads of 10.767 kms length in Ramnagar and Shyamnagar area. He said that the DPR of the Project was sent to Government of India by the State Urban Development Department on 27 May, 2013, for which administrative approval was granted by GoI on 22 October, 2013. He said that the State Government was endeavouring to provide various facilities for Dharamshala which was the second biggest town of the State and efforts were afoot in this direction.
Chief Minister said that Dharamshala receives maximum rains in the State which cause heavy damages to the roads which tarnishes the beauty of the town and also hampers the normal and tourism activities. The State Government was making efforts for providing better road facility in the area to facilitate the local people and tourists visiting this beautiful hill station, he said.Later, Chief Minister inaugurated the Data Centre of Kangra Central Co-Operative Bank (KCCB), Dharamshala having various modern facilities for safeguarding and storing the Bank data. He said that KCCB had made tremendous progress since its inception. He said that bank should make efforts to lessen its Non Performing Assets besides making sincere efforts to improve the recovery position adding that the State Government would consider opening of two new branches of the Bank at Subji Mandi, New Delhi and Shimla. He directed the Deputy Commissioner Kangra to identify suitable land for the construction of Rest House of KCCB at Dharamshala.
Jagdish Sipahiya, Chairman, KCCB welcomed the Chief Minister and said that the Bank was providing modern facilities to its customers including Kisan Credit Cards, Education, Housing and Vehicle loan etc. It was registered as Co-Operative Society on 17 March 1920 and since then had it achieved many milestones. Presently this bank was serving the people of the State through 184 branches and 14 Zonal Offices. He said that the Bank was first in the Co-Operative Sector which had been provided IFSC Code. He also requested for providing land for the construction of the rest house of the Bank at Dharamshala. He said that the Bank was having deposits of Rs. 6579.63 crores, Rs. 3047.13 crore as advances, and it has made investment worth Rs. 3928.30 crore upto November, 2013. He said that Bank has a strong network of 45 ATMs across the State for facilitating the consumers and it has also been awarded as the Best Performance Award by NABARD. Hans Raj Chauhan, Managing Director, KCCB detailed out the activities of the Bank. He said that Bank has financed 7496 Self Help Groups, 655 Groups under Doodh Ganga Scheme, 132 cases under Integrated Development Small Ruminants and Rabbits under Bhed Palak Scheme. He said that Bank has opened 19 new branches during the year and upgraded 3 extension counters to Branch.
Food & Civil Supplies and Transport Minister Shri G.S. Bali, Forest Minister Shri Thakur Singh Bharmouri, Urban Development Minister Shri Sudhir Sharma, MLAs Sarv Shri Sanjay Rattan, Pawan Kajal and Yadvinder Goma, Ex M.P. Shri Chander Kumar, Vice Chairman KCCB Shri Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Vice Chairman H.P. Forest Corporation Shri K.S. Pathania, Ex MLA Surender Kaku, Chairperson. State Women Congress Manbhari Devi, Deputy Commissioner Shri C.Paulrasu, S.P. Shri Balbir Thakur, officers and employees of KCCB and prominent persons of the area and senior officers were present on the occasion.