Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh, while addressing public meeting at Bari Padhru on left bank of River Beas in Kullu made several announcements which includes upgradation of Health Sub Centre Kinza to Primary Health Centre, upgradation of Chatani Middle School to High School, upgradation of Primary Schools Dhobhi, Tosh and Kalon to Middle Schools, opening of new Primary School at Halainee, opening of Ayurvedic dispensary at Tarambali, opening of Nature Park at Kasol and announced construction of new road to connect Nakthan-Rudranag from Barshaini.He also directed for tarring of road from Sharugi Mor to Dehnidhar, directed for construction of road from Barituni to Talogi NH, metalling of Juani road and widening of road from Ramshila to Kinza.He said that Himachal Pradesh had covered a long successful journey of development since its formation and as of today, our State has been selected as the Best Big State in field of education, the award which will given to the State in State of States Award, New Delhi. He said that late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was considered as ‘wave of development and progress’, a strong movement within the National Congress Party who played pivotal role in formation of Himachal and providing it Statehood status. The Chief Minister said that there were hardly any educational institutions in the State in 1948 and today the total strength of schools were around 15500. There were as many as 115 degree colleges in the State and maximum of them were opened during the present and successive congress regimes. “We want to empower every citizen of the State and for this we have to educate every child of the State by providing quality education to him at his door-step”, he said. The State has witnessed huge revolution in field of education and particularly in the field of providing education to the girl child in far flung and remote areas of the State.
Shri Virbhadra Singh said that as far as drinking water and Irrigation facilities were concerned, almost every house has safe drinking tap water and numbers of irrigation schemes were catering to the needs of the farmers of the State. Crop diversification and protective farming are the thrust areas of the State Government, as agriculture provides direct employment to about 60 per cent of total workforce of the State farmers who were being provided 85 per cent project assistance for construction of poly-houses under Rs 111.19 crore Dr. Y.S.Parmar Kisan Swarozgar Yojana. Besides this, Rs 154 crore Rajiv Gandhi Micro Irrigation Scheme was also being implemented in the State for providing drip irrigation facilities to the farmers, stated the Chief Minister.
He said that the Congress party was synonyms to development and whatever our government commits, it makes it a point to fulfill the promises made to its people. Today Himachal was an example of the Model State for other hill states of the country.Shri Virbhadra also stressed for preservation of language, customs and traditions and to take it to future generations. He said that we should protect and preserve our ancient temples too.Speaking on the sidelines of the public meeting with media, the Chief Minister said that the BJP Rally at Mandi won't have any such impact on the election scenario in the State as the people have unwavering faith in policies and programmes of the Government and the Congress party had huge mass base and support of the people. Shri Virbhadra Singh said that he heartily welcomes the Prime Minister Shri Narinder Modi to the State.
Irrigation and Public Health Minister, Smt Vidya Stokes who also addressed the gathering said that the State Government was spending a sum of Rs 2292 on Irrigation and drinking water supply schemes in the State, adding that 90 percent Tap Water was being provided to the people of the State. She said that various irrigation and drinking water schemes worth Rs 23 crore were dedicated to the people of Kullu today fulfilling the long pending demand of the region. She said that detailed project report of all the schemes as referred by earlier speakers would be prepared soon. She said that a subsidy of Rs 410 crore was being provided to the people on electricity use for domestic and agricultural purpose.She said that a sum of Rs. 1100 crore was being incurred under Horticulture Development Mission in the State to facilitate the agriculturalists and horticulturalists of the State.General Secretary, HPCC, Shri Sunder Singh Thakur honoured and welcomed the Chief Minister and urged for fulfilling various demands, the main being Health Sub centre at Kinza to be upgraded to Primary Health Centre and upgradation of few schools. He also demanded opening of new primary school at Halainee and opening of Ayurvedic dispensary in village Trambali. He also thanked the Chief Minister for laying foundation stones and dedicating drinking water and irrigation projects worth Rs 23 crore in a single day. Ayurveda and Co-operative Minister, Shri Karan Singh, Chairman Zila Parishad, Kullu, Shri Harichand Sharma, DCC President, Shri Bhudi Singh Thakur, Chairperson District Mahila Congress, Ms. Vidya Negi, BCC President, Kullu, Shri Uttam Chand Sharma, BCC President, Manali, Shri Bhuneshwar Gaud, OSD to Chief Minister, Shri Amit Pal, Deputy Commissioner, Shri Yunus Khan, SP, Shri Padam Chand were also present on the occasion amongst senior officers of the district.