Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said that Himachal Pradesh had scaled new heights of development due to steady efforts of the congress governments in the State and today this hilly State had emerged a role model of development for the big states of the country. He said that the State today had vast network of roads, health and educational institutions and all census villages had been provided with the potable drinking water and electricity facility.
He was addressing a mammoth public gathering at Kandaghat in Solan today after laying foundation stones and inauguration of various major developmental projects in the district.The Chief Minister announced to upgrade Civil Hospital Kandaghat to 50-bedded hospital. He also announced to upgrade government high school Kotla and Dhol ka Jubbad to senior secondary schools and Tikkari Talanji, Papol and Bisha middle schools to high schools.
Blaming the BJP for indulging in cheap politics, he said that the pace of development came to standstill whenever BJP remained in the power. He said that the behaviour of BJP MLA's during the winter session and budget session of the H.P Vidhan Sabha was disgraceful and they played with the expectations of the common people which was most unfortunate and undemocratic. He said it is unfortunate that MLA's of the main opposition party shirked away from their responsibility and instead of taking responsibility of public representatives, they worked purely on political agenda.
The Chief Minister said that enquiries were being made in to the benami land transactions during the BJP regime and all those transactions found illegal would be brought under the control of the State government adding that structures erected on such lands would be utilized for government purpose and for the benefit of the common public. He said that his government was not against the investment in the State by the outsiders but wherever norms had been flouted, the government would take appropriate action. He added that government would give incentives to those industrial units only which would fulfill the condition of 70 percent employment to the Himachalis.
Virbhadra Singh said that BJP wanted to pressurize the government and he was being personally targeted on unsubstantial grounds as the BJP leaders were feeling the heat of ongoing enquiries into various acts of omissions and commissions including land scams and undue favours to the H.P Cricket Association by the previous BJP government. He said that it was Congress party's promise to the people of the State to expose all the irregularities conducted by the previous government so it was duty bound to bring forth the truth.Social Justice & Empowerment Minister Col. (Dr.) Dhani Ram Shandil said that the state government had taken historic decisions to benefit the poor and weaker sections of the society. He said that the government had decided to enhance the grants and financial aid under various social welfare schemes which would benefit all beneficiaries in the State. He also urged the Chief Minister to open one ITI in Solan constituency.
Block Congress President and Chairman APMC, Solan Shri Ramesh Thakur welcomed the Chief Minister.Food & Civil Supplies Minister Shri G.S Bali, Social Justice & Empowerment Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil, Chairman, Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board Baba Hardeep Singh, District Congress President Shri Rahul Thakur, Vice Chairman, National Savings Scheme, Shri Prakash Karad, Member, General Secretary PCC, Shri Vinod Sultanpuri, Member, PCC, Shri Ramesh Chauhan, Chairman, Jogindra Cooperative Bank Shri Mohan Mehta, Member BoD Tourism, Shri Surender Sethi, Member BoD H.P. Pollution Control Board, Shri Arvind Gupta were also present on the occasion, ex-MLA Smt. Krishna Mohini, were also present on the occasion.