Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh performed the foundation stone laying ceremony of Government Engineering College at Massal near Nagrota Bagwan in District Kangra today, to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 90.05 crore. It would be made functional from the academic session 2014-15. It would have three courses with intake capacity of 60 students each in Mechanical Engineering, Electronics & Communication Engineering and Civil Engineering.Speaking at largely attended public meeting at Massal the Chief Minister said that the State Government had always accorded top priority to the education sector. He said that the State had witnessed literacy revolution and has achieved a literacy rate of 82.80 percent, which was higher than the National average of 74.04 percent.
Virbhadra Singh said that the State was making progress in all sectors, the credit of which goes to successive Congress Governments and liberal funding and assistance of the Central Government. He said that former Prime Ministers Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Shri Lal Bhadur Shastri, Smt. Indira Gandhi, Shri Rajiv Gandhi, Dr. Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi had provided full assistance for the rapid progress and development of the State.
Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh had made significant strides in the direction of human resource development major health and demographic indicators and literacy rates have shown significant improvement during this period. The State Government was according top priority to the welfare of women, disabled, SCs, STs, OBCs and other vulnerable sections of the society, he added.He said that Himachal Pradesh had emerged as role model not only for hill States but also for bigger States in the country and had achieved many milestones of development in various fields. He said that there was no limit of development and with the support of the people new heights of progress would be achieved. He appealed the people of the State to stand against the forces who were trying to pide the people on the basis of caste, creed, and regionalism etc. to get political mileage.
Chief Minister said that BJP had no contribution in the formation of Himachal Pradesh and the Statehood status had been achieved due to efforts of the leaders of Congress party. Congress Party always believed in democratic setup and respects the mandate of the people, he added.Shri Virbhadra Singh said that the Dhumal Government came to power for the first time with the sport of HVC and victimized him by framing false Sagar Katha Case. He said that he was against the politics of vendetta and when Congress came to power again in the State he did not harass his political opponents.Chief Minister said that he was not against the game of cricket but would not allow vested interest to grave prime land worth crores of rupees in the name of cricket.Virbhadra Singh said that the probe into the misdeeds of the previous BJP Government was being done on the behalf of charge sheet filed by the Congress party of which he was not even a member. Now when the law was taking its own course, the BJP leaders filling the heat, were resorting to malicious propaganda against him, he added.
Chief Minister assured to accept the demands of Shri G.S.Bali, Transport Minister to open IPH pision Office at Nagrota, PHC at Jheen, Science Block at Seera Thana, Balugaloa, Baroh and Sunhi and upgrading Hatwas, Thana, Bargroh and Baldhar schools.Earlier the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of augmentation of Drinking Water Supply Scheme for Nagrota town to be constructed at a cost of Rs. one crore, It would benefit 11,340 people of the area. He also laid the foundation stone of augmentation of Drinking Water Supply Scheme for Changer area Uparli Kothiyan Part-I, Uparli Kothiyan part-II, Uparli Kothiyan Part-III, Samloti, Ustahen, Lungna-Mangrela and Thana Vadgran to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 414.39 lakh benefiting 18,544 people of the area. He also inaugurated Bridge over Plora Khhad on Chughera to Kandi road constructed at a cost of Rs. 141 lakh.
Irrigation & Public Health Minister, Smt. Vidya Stokes said that previous BJP Government had always attempted to pide district Kangra. She said that Chief Minister, Shri Virbhadra Singh had set up many important offices such as Himachal Pradesh State Education Board, Dr. Rajendera Prashad Medical College, Tanda, Vidhan Sabha at Tapovan besides many schemes.She said that Drinking Water facility to 3017 hamlets out of 3113 hamlets in district Kangra had been provided and Drinking Water Scheme worth Rs. 68.33 crore in Thural Assembly Constituency had been provided.Food & Civil Supplies and Transport Minister, Shri G.S. Bali thanked the Chief Minister for laying the foundation stone of Government Engineering College, Nagrota Bagwan. He said that BJP had always supported regionalism whereas the Congress Party had made efforts for progress and development in district Kangra. He urged the Chief Minister for opening IPH pision Office at Nagrota, PHC at Jheen, Science Block at Seera Thana, Balugaloa, Baroh and Sunhi and upgrading Hatwas, Thana, Bargroh and Baldhar schools.
Vikramaditya Singh, State Youth Congress President said that UPA Government had launched many welfare schemes during last 10 years. He said that Vice President of Congress Party, Shri Rahul Gandhi believes in empowerment of women and youth, besides decentralization of power. Smt. Suman Verma, President District Congress Committee welcomed the Chief Minister.Shri Rajeshwar Goel, Director Technical Education Department proposed the vote of thanks.Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Shri Jagjivan Pal, MLAs Shri Sanjay Rattan, Pawan Kajal, Yadvinder Goma, President State Women Congress, Manbhari Devi, Chairman, Kangra Central Co-Operative Bank Shri Jagdish Siphiya, Deputy Commissioner Kangra Shri C. Palrasu, Superintendent of Police Shri Balbir Thakur, senior officers of the State Government and prominent people of the area were also present on the occasion.