The state government is according topmost priority to accelerate the pace of development in few left-out backward areas of the state by providing additional funds for health, education, roads and drinking water facilities. This was stated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh during a public meeting at Jadol-Taproli in Pachhad constituency of Sirmaur district on Wednesday late evening.He said the present state government had constructed more than 2000 kilometres new roads connecting 865 new villages with road facility and as of now 3138 Gram Panchayat headquarters of total 3226 Panchayats of the state had been provided road connectivity.With a view to provide educational facilities to the students of rural areas, the state government had not hesitated in opening a large number of schools and degree colleges. This had benefitted youth a lot, especially girls in getting higher education as most of the parents did not sent them far off places for getting education due to security or other reasons. He said this initiative of the government had also gone a long way in taking big strides in education sector and today Himachal Pradesh had higher literacy rate.Virbhadra Singh said despite financial constraints, the state government had taken decision to provide unemployment allowance to the youth for two years, which showed the commitment of the government for youth empowerment.
The Chief Minister said though literacy rate had gone up exceptionally but it was not possible to provide jobs to every youth in government sector and therefore the state government had launched skill development scheme to get them trained in different trades so that they could get opportunities for self-employment or jobs in private sectors. He said the government had opened a number of engineering colleges and Industrial Training Institutes to facilitate youth in getting vocational training.On the demand of local representatives, the Chief Minister assured to explore possibilities of opening a degree college at some suitable place in the Pajhota area as there was no college nearer to this area.He also addressed public meeting at Kaunti and Shilabag.Earlier, Virbhadra Singh inaugurated the Police Post at Pajhota (Fati Patel), laid foundation stone of 33 KV sub-station at Shilabag and flagged off bus services from Tharu-Dibber-Nohri via Kotla-Bangi-Shimlia-Painkufar_Taproli-ohri_Habban-Rajgarh with night halt at Tharu and another from Solan-Nohri-Taproli via Shimlia-Painkufar with night halt at Taproli.He announced bus service from Sersog to Solan via Kot-Sarahan-Deol Tikkeri with night halt at Sersog. He laid foundation stones for construction and metalling/tarring of link road Thod-Nawad and construction and mettaling/tarring of link road Dhandrel-Kanog besides Kunthal-Pashog road in Rajgarh Tehsil.Former minister and Chairman, State Planning Board G.R Musafir, MLA Anirudh Singh also addressed the public meeting.Chairman, HIMFED Ajay Bahadur Singh and other prominent persons of the area were present on this occasion.