While addressing public gathering at Dharamsaal Mantaan in Chintpurni assembly constituency Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that it was wrong practice by the Governor of Manipur and Goa not to invite the single largest party to form the government but horse-trading was done by BJP to form the government thus defeating the very purpose of democracy. This was the greatest threat to the Country and democracy in time to come, he said, adding that the monopoly by few people was not in the interest of the country. The democratic norms had been thrown aside by the ruling Union government, he asserted. “We have to stand united for a strong Nation and not indulge in such tactics,” he added.As far Himachal Pradesh was concerned, the BJP was unnecessary blaming the government for delaying the preparations of detailed project reports and starting work of 61 national highways as announced by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, but they fail to understand, rather did not want to understand that the funds required for preparations of DPRs had not been received from the Centre. No matter, announcements were made by GoI, but the process of clearances takes time and over and above, the contracts were given by Union Ministry of National Highways and not the State Government, he said.
“However, I am grateful to the Union government for sanctioning 61 national highways for the state,” he said. The Chief Minister said the state government could start work on the State roads but the work on the roads announced by the Union government had to be taken up by them and not the state government. He said that BJP leaders were misguiding the people that the state was not starting works on the roads forgetting, that not the state, but the Centre had to start the work on same. Merely to make announcements was easy, but the onus lies on the Central government to carry out the work of roads as announced by Union Minister.He said that the thrust of the present government was on providing education to all and to assure that the enrolment of students increase in education institutions. Today, there were as many as 117 colleges in the state mostly in far flung areas to cater to educational needs of the youth especially the girl child.The Chief Minister also accepted the demand of upgrading Veterinary dispensary at Kalu-Di-bad in GP Dharamsaal Mantaan Khas.
MLA Shri Kuldeep Kumar who is also Chairman State Finance Commission thanked the Chief Minister for laying foundation stone of water supply scheme to benefit three panchayats of the area. He said that the area was facing acute water shortage, but the government from time to time had acceded to the demand of installing hand pumps, whenever demanded and now the augmentation of Rs.2.50 crore water supply scheme would certainly solve the drinking water problem to large extent. He also listed the other developments of the area.He urged to start vocational courses in few schools of the area and up-gradation of PHC at Mata Sheetla Community Health Centre and fill the posts of doctors.Pradhan GP Dharamsaal Mantaan , Smt. Gurmit and BCC president, Chintpurni Capt. Pritam also welcomed the Chief Minister and raised local issues. State Youth Congress President, Shri Vikramaditya Singh, ZP Member, Ms. Salochna Devi, Vice-Chairman, employees welfare board, Shri Surinder Mankotia, DC, Shri Vikas Labroo and SP Una, Shri Anupam Sharma were also present on the occasion amongst others.