While addressing a massive public meeting in Chaurasi Temple complex at Bharmour, in Tribal Sub–division of district Chamba on Monday evening, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that, as Smt. Indira Gandhi, the late Prime Minister of India gave her maiden speech in Chamba district, the Chamba Bus Stand would be named after her as ‘Indira Gandhi Bus Terminal’ on her birth centenary. He ordered to complete the work of the Bus Stand within two months and announced hostel to be constructed in government college Bharmour for both boys and girls.The Chief Minister exhorted the people to stand united in all circumstances and not fall prey to the divisive propaganda and tactics of the BJP, as it plays politics of region and religion and ries to divide the people and they should realise this well in time, or else it may be detrimental for the interest of the Country.He said that Rs.500 crore Skill Development Allowance Scheme was being implemented for skill development of unemployed youth. Under this scheme, allowance of Rs. 1000 per month was being provided to unemployed youth and Rs. 1500 to youth with special abilities. As job in government sector was not possible for all, the youth should take advantage of the scheme.
The Chief Minister said that the government was committed to the genuine demands and welfare of the people. To give relief to the Home Guards, the daily wages was enhanced to Rs 570 from Rs 250, the remuneration of part time water carriers has been enhanced from Rs 1700 to Rs 1900 and even the daily wages of the workers has been enhanced to Rs 200 from Rs 150.He said that State has progressed leaps and bounds and today Himachal was a pioneer state in terms of hill development. The per capita income of the state has risen from Rs 240 to Rs 1,30,067. The literacy rate of the State had risen to approximately 88 percent, he said.He said that development was a continuous and never ending process and as a result during the present tenure of the government as many as 135 Health institutions have been opened or either upgraded in the State to strengthen the health sector. As many as 1004 new schools were either opened or upgraded and 19 new Industrial Training Institutes (ITI’s) were opened in the State taking the strength of ITI’s to 105. Today there were 115 colleges in the state out of which maximum were opened during the successive Congress regimes. During the last three and a half years 29 new degree colleges were opened in the State, he said.
He said that enough schools had been opened in the State and now the government was of the opinion that the schools would only be upgraded where there was an urgent need to do so however there was no bar on opening primary schools, but the plus two schools would now only be upgraded only after due consideration. However, the conditions were different for Tribal areas and where ever there would be demand for the schools it would be taken care of.Besides, Indian Institute of Management was coming up at Dhaulakuan in Sirmaur district, Indian Institute of Technology at Kamand in Mandi district was already running.Many roads had come up in Bharmour assembly segment, but our motive, our aim was to connect every village of the State with roads, he said, adding that as of today
36759 kilometers of road length was prevalent there which was hardly 288 kilometers in 1950-51.The Chief Minister also announced construction of Kilod-Rijoti-Kalaamala road, Kilod-Annanehr road and a sum of Rs 20 lakh for Annanehr road. Earlier, in a public meeting in Lylh, he assured to take over these works on priority.He announced Rs. 20,000 to the girls of Bharmour GSSS for presenting cultural programme.Earlier, Forest Minister, Shri Thakur Singh Bharmouri, welcomed the Chief Minister to his home segment and also thanked him for laying foundation stone of Rs. 234 crore , 33 KV electric sub station at Bharmour besides laying foundation of Model College to come up at Lylh in Bharmaur assembly segment to cost Rs. 15 crore. He also came down heavily on Prime Minister terming him as ‘Flying Prime Minister’, who never stays in India and always remains on tours abroad.He also demanded a multi-level parking for Bharmour for easing vehicular congestion.
Member, All India Working Congress Committee and AICC Secretary, Smt. Asha Kumari also came down heavily on the NDA government and said that the policies which were being presently adopted by the Union government were against the interest of the people of the country. She said that all the promises made by the Prime Minister before Lok Sabha elections had fallen flat. The prices of essential commodities have escalated, adding that the pulses had touched ever high in the history of the country. The promises made to provide employment and to deposit a sum of Rs 15 lakh in account of each Indian were just to woo the people during Lok Sabha election and nothing in practical was witnessed on the ground.As far as roads and bridges were concerned, as many as 135 new bridges and 1415 kilometers of roads were constructed in the State during the tenure of the present government, she said.
Member, Zila Parishad Shri Amit Bharmouri thanked the Chief Minister for his visit to Bharmour and also welcomed him and other dignitaries present on the occasion. He lashed out at the BJP led NDA government trying to implicate Shri Virbhadra Singh in false cases.Block Congress President Shri Brahma Nand Thakur, also welcomed and honoured the Chief Minister besides members of Youth Congress Bharmour.Chairman H.P. State Pollution Control Board Shri Kuldeep Singh Pathania, DCC President, Shri Surinder Bhardwaj, Vice Chairman H.P. State Forest Development Corporation Shri Kewal Singh Pathania, Chairman Zila Parishad, Shri Dharam Singh Pathania, President, Chairman APMC, Shri Neeraj Nayyar, Tribal Advisor Committee, Member, Ms. Suman Devi, President, Youth Congress, Bharmour, Shri Sanjeev Thakur, Member, BoD, Forest Corporation, Shri Sanjay Thakur were also present on the occasion.