The State Government has been able to give new direction to the all-round development of the State during past one of year of its regime besides fulfilling most of the promises made to the people in the party's election manifesto. The government is working for the equitable and balanced development of each area and section of the State with a special focus on common man.Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh stated this today while addressing a public meeting at Daulatpur Chowk in Gagret assembly constituency in Una district after laying foundation stone of sewerage scheme for Gagret town to be constructed with an estimated cost of Rs. 1368.72 lakh benefiting 4236 people of seven wards of Gagret town.He also laid foundation stone of water supply scheme for Chatehar (Ambota) village in Amb tehsil to be constructed by spending Rs. 99.80 lakh and benefiting 3017 people of the area. The Chief Minister also laid foundation stone of lift water supply scheme for Phanjal and Kuthera-Loharali villages of Amb Tehsil. A sum of Rs. 331.15 lakh will be spent on this scheme and it will benefit around 8782 persons.Shri Virbhadra Singh said that Una district had achieved various milestones of development and it was fast coming up as the main industrial hub in the State. He said that Congress governments in the State had always ensured speedy development of the district and it would continue to be on the priority list. The Swan river channelization project started in the district was one of the ambitious projects of the State government which would bring prosperity in the lives of the people of the district.
The Chief Minister said that providing best education, health, roads, drinking water, irrigation facilities and rural development were top priorities of the government and it was being ensured that every section of the society was benefited with the welfare schemes and programmes up to the farthest corner. He added that today Himachal Pradesh stands ahead in various developmental parameters in the country which had been possible due to constant hard work of the successive Congress governments in the State.Virbhadra Singh announced to upgrade Government High Schools Andora, Mawa Sindiyan, Guglehad and Kujeran to senior secondary schools and upgrade government middle school Raipur to high school. He also announced to open primary school at Kuthehra Jaswala and start science classes in GSSS Mubarakpur. He announced to start science and commerce classes in GSSS Bhadrasali and commerce classes in GSSS Danari.He announced to give Rs. 10,000 to the students of GSSS Daulatpur Chowk for presenting cultural programme on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Irrigation & Public Health Minister Smt. Vidya Stokes said that out of total 2293 habitations of 866 census villages of Una district, 2195 had been provided drinking water facility. 44 habitations would be benefited with drinking water facility during this financial year out of which work in 38 habitats had already been completed. She said that Rs. 11.16 crore sewerage scheme for Una town had been completed while work was in progress on sewerage schemes for Santokhgarh and Mehatpur towns. Smt. Stokes said that 2500 hand pumps had been installed in the district and 90 hand pumps were being installed during this financial year adding that irrigation facility had been provided to 20148 hectares of land in the district through 499 irrigation schemes and the work on 39 irrigation schemes amounting to Rs. 78.64 crore was in progress.
Chairman, State Finance Commission and former Minister Shri Kuldeep Kumar said that Una district had witnessed speedy and all-round development whenever Congress governments remained in power in the State. He thanked the Chief Minister for giving added priority to the district and starting new developmental projects. Secretary, AICC and MLA Shri Rakesh Kalia thanked the Chief Minister for brining ambitious Swan River channelization project which was bound to bring sea change for the people of Una district. He said that Rs. 500 crore of this project would be spent in his home segment. He also raised various demands of the area. Shri Balwant Parmar, President, Gagret Block Congress welcomed the Chief Minister.Forest Minister Shri Taker Singh Bharmouri, Shri Virender Dharmani, District Congress President, Maj. General Vikram Singh, CMD, Ex-Servicemen Corporation, Shri Satpal Raizada, Secretary, District Congress Committee, Shri Onkar Sharma, former Vice Chairman, Agro Packaging, Shri Ravinder Fauji, President Kutlehar Block Congress, Shri Hazarilal Dhiman, President Una Block Congress, Shri Ajay Jagota, In-charge, Gagret Block Congress, Shri Des Raj Gautam, Director, Khadi Board, North Zone and other prominent persons of the area were present on the occasion.