Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today laid the foundation stone of Government Degree College, Rewalsar in Mandi district with initial budget of Rs. five crore. He also announced to upgrade various government schools in the area. Addressing a public meeting at Rewalsar, Shri Virbhadra Singh said that health and education were two topmost priorities of the State Government and various health and educational institutes had been opened up during last one year to benefit the people of the State. He said that Himachal Pradesh was leading State of the country in the education sector while it had been declared as the best State in health sector in the category of big States during a survey conducted recently.
Chief Minister said that the State Government had announced 15 colleges in the State with initial budget of Rs. five crore each and hundreds of schools had also been announced to facilitate the students in getting quality education nearer to their homes. He said that Mandi district had made rapid strides in the matter of development during past one year and various pioneering institutes were coming up in the district. The ESI Medical College and Hospital is nearing completion for which Rs. 1000 crore had been made available by the Government of India while IIT at Kamand had been made functional. He said that the foundation stone for the Rs. 45crore Cancer Hospital at Mandi would be laid soon.
Shri Virbhadra Singh said that despite financial constraints his Government was committed for the development of State and welfare of all sections of the society and various initiatives have been taken up to provide benefit to every section in the budget for the next financial year. The housing subsidy for repair of houses of SCs, STs and OBCs would be increased from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000 and uniform income limit of Rs. 35,000 per annum had been fixed for eligibility to avail benefit under various schemes. He said that the daily wages would be increased by Rs. 20 and all daily wagers completing seven years of service as on 31st March, 2014 would be regularized. The Government had also decided to enhance the social security pension and various financial benefits had been proposed for the employees. He said that the work on Kiratpur-Nerchowk four lane road was under progress and in the second phase it would be extended upto Kullu and finally upto Manali. He said that Drang salt mine would also be restarted soon. He announced to upgrade Halyatar, Baraswan and Shakroha middle schools to High Schools and Chowki Chandrahan High School to Government Senior Secondary School and also announced to open new primary school at Nalwari.
Later, he laid foundation stone of Primary Heath Centre, Leda to be constructed at a cost of Rs.42.78 lakh. He also laid foundation of New Tehsil Office at Ner Chowk to be constructed at cost of Rs. 1.20 crore. The Chief Minister announced Rs. 15,000 to the school children for presenting colourful cultural programme.Prakash Chaudhary, Excise and Taxation Minister thanked the Chief Minister for accelerating the pace of development of Mandi district and sanctioning various ambitious projects for Balh constituency. He also thanked for College in Rewalsar and upgradation of various schools. He said that before few months of last assembly elections, the BJP Government started the Rewalsar College in two rooms to take political mileage.Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, Shri Anil Sharma, Shri Tek Chand Dogra, Ex Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Shri Puran Chand Thakur, District Congress President, Shri Kuldeep Thakur, President, Balh Congress Committee, Shri Bansi Lal, Chairman, Nagar Parishad, Rewalsar, Shri Shankar Saini, delegate HPCC, Shri Rajender Ramol, President, District Congress SC Cell, Shri Sanjeev Guleria, Member, RTI, senior officers and other prominent persons of the area were also present on the occasion among others.