Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that State is providing adequate funds for equal and balanced development of the State and to accelerate the pace of development, the State Government has proposed an Annual Plan of Rs. 4400 crore for the year 2014-15 which is Rs. 300 crore more than the previous Annual Plan. Chief Minister was presiding over the meeting of MLAs convened for finalizing priorities for Annual Plan 2014-15 here today. MLAs from Solan, Sirmaur, Shimla, Mandi and Bilaspur districts participated in the meeting. Virbhadra Singh said that to give fillip to the overall development of the State, Government has adopted Manifesto of Congress Party as its Policy Document and efforts have been made to fulfill most of the promises made in the Manifesto in the first year itself. He said that Manifesto is being implemented effectively. Virbhadra Singh said that priorities of the MLAs are very important in planning process and State Government is giving priority to these so as to provide better facilities and services to the people of the State. He said that Government departments are preparing Detailed Project Reports of various developmental projects and efforts are being made to get them sanctioned from appropriate level at the earliest. He said that Government would try to fund the priorities of the MLAs first from Grant Based Schemes of Government of India. These include Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY), CRF, Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) and Externally Aided Projects etc. He said that those priorities which are not covered under the grants provided by Government of India, would be sent to NABARD for funding through loans. He directed all Secretaries and Heads of Departments to give due consideration to priorities of MLAs and said that laxity in this regard would not be tolerated. He asked them to solve problems and grievances of public representatives on priority and said that immediate action should be ensured on their suggestions.
Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh Government is consistently raising the issue of providing Himachal Pradesh equal share in all centrally sponsored schemes on the analogy of North Eastern States in 90:10 ratio. He had personally requested the Union Finance Minister to accede to this demand of Himachal Pradesh Government. He asked all Departments to take up the matter of amendment in guidelines of those programmes which are not in the State’s interest and all such matters should be raised with the Government of India. Every MLA has been informed about the status of all those schemes which were given by them under their priorities. He said that functional posts in all departments would be filled up so that detailed project reports of various developmental projects be prepared at the earliest. He asked the concerned officers to expedite the forest clearances cases which were creating hindrance in road construction. Chief Minister advised the MLAs to provide details of developmental schemes in the meeting and send these to the Planning Department so as to incorporate them in the budget. He requested the MLAs to provide their suggestions on policy matters, financial resources, good governance etc. in the meeting. Shri Virbhadra Singh said that Government is striving hard to provide people with basic facilities nearer to their door steps and is endeavouring to fill vacant posts especially of doctors, paramedical staff and teachers. He said that connecting villages with roads and bridges is the top priority of the Government and assured that there will be no dearth of funds for the purpose. Chief Minister said that government educational institutions in the State would be provided with their own buildings in a phased manner. He said that Government was committed for equal development and no discrimination would be made in respect of development of any area of the State. He said that State’s performance in health and investment sectors in past one year was adjudged as the Best and Himachal Pradesh was ranked as Best State in the category of big States in State of States Conclave recently.
Shri Virbhadra Singh said that a project would be prepared to channelize Pabbar river from Sandasali upto Hatkoti on the analogy of Swan River. He said that PWD and Forest Rest Houses at Khadrala are heritage of the State and will be maintained, repaired and renovated. He said that PHC Kupvi would be upgraded to 20 bedded Hospital.
Chief Minister said that stray animals have become a social problem in the State and to check it a micro chip would be fitted in their bodies which would contain all the data of the owner of the animal. He stressed for the need of proper maintenance of all the link roads constructed by other agencies except PWD in the villages. He said that mid year appraisal meeting of Annual Plan would be held to review the progress.Smt. Vidya Stokes, Irrigation and Public Health Minister, Shri Kaul Singh Thakur, Health Minister, Shri Prakash Chaudhary, Excise and Taxation Minister, Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Shri Anil Sharma Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, Shri Gangu Ram Musafir, Deputy Chairman, State Planning Board, Shri Rajesh Dharmani, Shri Vinay Kumar, Shri Nand Lal, Shri Rohit Thakur, Shri Sohan Lal and Shri Mansa Ram, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries also participated in the meeting and gave their valuable suggestions.
Solan district
Shri Gobind Ram Sharma, MLA from Arki assembly constituency requested that rain water harvesting structures should be constructed for irrigation purposes. He demanded that a Sub Treasury and Community Health Centre be opened in Darlaghat. He requested to fill up vacant posts of teachers and doctors in his constituency. Shri Krishan Lal Thakur, MLA from Nalagarh assembly constituency requested that a consolidated detailed project report for flood management in Nalagarh constituency should be prepared and work of bridge on Chikani khad should be expedited. He urged that Nalagarh-Ramshahar-Kunihar-Shimla road be made National Highway and demanded that more roads should be sanctioned under PMGSY.
Dr. Rajiv Saijal, MLA from Kasauli assembly constituency urged for drinking water supply schemes for Parwanoo and Kausali cantonment area and requested that more posts of doctors should be sanctioned for Community Health Centre, Dharampur. He also demanded for extension of Dharampur Subzi Mandi.
Sirmaur district
Shri Suresh Kashyap, MLA from Pachhad constituency requested that Chhaila-Neripul-Giripul-Ochhghat and Solan-Minas road should be repaired, maintained and adequate funds may be provided for the purpose. He also urged that old bridge in Yashwant Nagar should be replaced. He demanded that building should be constructed for ITI Sarahan besides adding more trades. He also requested for flower markets in Rajgarh and Sarahan.
Dr. Rajiv Bindal, MLA from Nahan assembly constituency urged that compensation for flood damages in his constituency should be provided at the earliest and various streams and khads in the constituency may be channelized. He demanded that 13 bridges in his segment should be constructed at the earliest. He also requested that status of Palhodi panchayat should be reverted to Backward Panchayat. Shri Baldev Singh Tomar, MLA from Shillai assembly constituency requested for opening of SDM Office in his constituency and for two blocks in his assembly segment. He urged that Laldank-Hatkoti-Rohru road should be properly maintained. He demanded that one more Senior Secondary School for girls be opened in Shillai.
Shimla district
Shri Balbir Singh Verma, MLA from Chopal constituency demanded that every panchayat in his constituency should be connected with roads and Sainj-Deha-Chopal-Nerwa road should be widened and maintained. He urged that a pisional-level Committee should be formed for forest clearances of Detailed Project Reports. He urged that 13 Lift Irrigation Schemes in his constituency should be started at the earliest and a Civil Hospital be opened in Kupvi. He also urged for solving voltage problem in the area and for starting work of 66KV Electric Station in Lashtadhar. Shri Anirudh Singh, MLA from Kasumpti assembly constituency demanded that Eversunny-Bhont road be made busable and inaugurated at the earliest. He urged that Primary Health Centres may be opened at Vikasnagar and New Shimla. He requested to take Tungish Sanskrit College in Cheog under government control and demanded that a government college should be opened in Koti area and Girls College in Bhattakuffar. He requested that parking may be constructed in Cemetery area of Sanjauli, Dhalli and Kasumpti on BOT basis. Shri Suresh Bhardwaj, MLA from Shimla Urban assembly constituency requested that pumping station at Ashwani khad may be replaced and Pabbar Gravity Water Scheme should be constructed at the earliest. He also demanded for adequate parking space in Shimla. He urged for alternative mode of transport, ropeway and tunnels in Shimla and PHC at Khalini. Shri Mohan Lal Brakta, MLA from Rohru assembly constituency requested that Rohru Civil Hospital should be upgraded and foundation stone of Rohru Subzi Mandi may be laid at the earliest. He also demanded that a new bus stand should be constructed in Chirgaon and Rohru-Chirgaon-Dodra Kwar road be declared as State Highway. He requested for upgradation of Government Middle School, Badhal. He urged that trades in Government Polytechnics College, Rohru should be increased.
Mandi district
Shri Vinod Kumar, MLA from Nachan assembly constituency requested for exploring the tourism potential in his assembly segment. He urged for upgrading CHC Gohar, filling up vacant posts of Doctors and providing more funds for the construction of roads. He also urged to open agriculture based industry in his area.Shri Jai Ram Thakur, MLA from Seraj assembly constituency stressed the need for timely forest clearances for the construction of roads and making adequate budgetary provision of maintenance of roads. He requested for replacing the old wooden electricity poles with steel tubular poles and sorting out the low voltage problem in his area. He also urged to fill vacant posts of Doctors and Para Medical staff.
Shri Inder Singh, MLA from Sarkaghat assembly constituency said that many DPRs of roads were lying pending since 2007-08 and urged for expediting the same. He also urged to fill the vacant posts of Draughtsman, Surveyors and JCB operators and requested for setting up indoor block at Referral Hospital Sarkaghat besides deploying specialist doctors in the hospital. He also urged for strengthening the educational institutions in his area.
Bilaspur district
Bamber Thakur, MLA from Bilaspur assembly constituency thanked the Chief Minister for filling vacant posts of Doctors and providing plots to the Bhakra Dam Oustees and people belonging to Balmiki community in Bilaspur. He said that a post of Patwari should be created at circle level in the PWD department and requested for constructing artificial lake over Ali Khud near Kungarhatti bridge to boost the tourism activities in the area.Randhir Sharma, MLA from Sri Naina Devi Ji assembly constituency said that efforts should be done for early forest clearance for construction of various roads. He requested for proper maintenance of NH-21 from Swarghat to Bilaspur and urged that closed bus routes in his constituency should be restored and adequate buses should be plied. Shri P. Mitra, Chief Secretary, proposed vote of thanks and assured that directions of Chief Minister would be implemented in letter and spirit. Earlier, Dr. Shrikant Baldi, Principal Secretary, Finance welcomed the Chief Minister and other dignitaries and thanked them for their valuable suggestions.