Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while addressing a public meeting at Bagsaid in Seraj Constituency of Mandi district today said the state government had presented budget for financial year 2018-19 keeping in mind to improve the service delivery by providing good governance to the people. He said transforming rural farm sector and horticulture, ensuring employment generation, restoring law and order, providing housing facility to houseless, controlling and breaking down on drugs, mining and forest mafia, providing quality education and providing affordable and quality health services etc. were the main features of the budget. Besides, the focus had also been given women empowerment, promoting investment by simplifying the procedures and re-vitalise the hydro, tourism and trade sectors.He said that the state government had enhanced the number of days for providing employment under MNREGA from 100 to 120 days. The daily wages had been increased to Rs. 225 besides the honorarium of water guards had been increased from Rs. 1700 to Rs. 2100 per month and it had also been proposed to provide an additional honorarium to Aanganwadi workers to the tune of Rs. 1750. Besides, the budget also proposes to raise the incentive to ASHA workers from Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1250.The Chief Minister said that the government would encourage active participation of local people, NGOs, Panchayats, temple trusts and charitable organisations to strengthening the existing Gau-Sadans and opening new ones to house and feed the stray cattle. He said that HP Religious Endowments and Temple Trust Act would be amended to ear mark 15 percent of offerings in the temples towards construction, maintenance and running of Gau-Sadans.He said that even the former Chief Minister personally praised him for the budget which incorporated all the sections of the society and all the sectors including the youth, agriculturalists, horticulturalists, Women, girl child, etc.He remembered former Minister Karam Singh who represented Seraj constituency (Chachiyot then) and presented the budget as finance minister. He said he was the second person from Seraj who presented the budget, which was a matter of great pride for people of area.
Jai Ram Thakur said he was deeply hurt and saddened by the unrest created by few of his fellow-friends in the name of SDM office at Janjehli. They must understand that shifting of SDM office to Thunag was due to the court order and not by the government. He expressed hope that time would soon come when they realise and work united for overall development of entire Seraj belt leaving behind petty politics. He said for him Jhanjeli and Thunag were equal and the people of both the regions were like his family.He invited them to solve the issue amicably by sharing and sitting adding that even the peace treaties were made between the countries after the worst wars. The government and he himself were open to the talks with them as they had desired, he said. He reiterated that people of Jhanjeli were like his family and were being misled by those who did not have anything to lose.The Chief Minister earlier laid foundation stone of civil hospital at Bagsiad to be completed with an outlay of Rs. 27 crore. He said that it was a promise fulfilled made to the people, adding that additional land was required for construction of residences of doctors and directed to identify the land soon. He also performed Bhumi Poojan of 7.6 kilometres long Bagsaid-Tikker road to cost Rs. 3.46 crore.He said that the work on National Highway in his constituency would be started soon on war-footings and Pandoh-Kanda road would be developed as major district road to be constructed under Central Road Fund (CRF) for which he announced a sum of Rs 26 crore. He announced rupees five lakh each for Thatch Kainchi- Harnala road and Sunaas to Khanagi road respectively. He announced a sum of rupees three lakh for village road Bagsiad and rupees two lakh for Raingaloo to Lot road, Rs. 10 lakh for Naga-Keoli road in GP Saran and rupees two lakh from Bajehi to Lower Ghulach in GP Kandh Bagi.He announced a sum of Rs 15 lakh for Thunag Panchayat for different development schemes, Rs 10 each for Shikavari, Behlidhaar and Pakhrer Panchayats for carrying out development works.The Chief Minister announced sanctioning of rupees one crore for construction of third storey of ITI building at Bagsiad.
Later, the Chief Minister performed opening of the office of IPH division at Thunag and the Camp office of ‘Chief Ministers Constituency Cell’ at Thunag. He said that now the people would not need to travel far distance to Shimla for getting their works done as the constituency cell established at Thunag would cater to all the needs of the people of Seraj constituency.He said that out of total road length in his constituency of 615 kilometres, 260 kms length was un-mettalled adding that a sum of Rs. 100 crore would be spent for tarring and metalling of 150 kilometres of road length in this fiscal.He also announced a sum of rupees one crore for bus stand at Thunag.He said that road projects worth Rs 68 crore under PMGSY and NABARD were being executed in Seraj constituency, besides additional sum of Rs 4.50 crore on renovation of 45 kilometres road length.Member of Parliament Ram Swaroop Sharma also spoke on the occasion and exhorted the people to join hands together for development of the region. He said that the former government just came and did nothing for the area. He also referred victory of BJP in Tripura, Nagaland and formation of government in Meghalaya. He said that the communists were routed from Tripura by the people and they were never to be trusted and followed.The Aanganwadi workers and part time water carriers thanked the Chief Minister for enhancing the honorarium in his budget speech.he Primary Teachers Federation presented a cheque of Rs. 51 thousand to the Chief Minister towards CM Relief Fund at Bagsaid. The employees and officials of Seraj constituency presented a cheque of Rs 75000 towards the Fund, besides cheques of Rs. 51000 by Kameshwar Temple Committee, Rs 51000 by Beopar Mandal Thunag, Rs. 25000 by Pakhrour,Thunag, Balhidhaar, Lambathach and Shikawari panchayats towards the Fund.MLA Vinod Kumar, and Inder Singh Gandhi, OSD to Chief Minister Shishu Dharma, General Secretary, HP State Child Welfare Council Payal Vaidya, District BJP president Ranvir Singh, President MC Mandi Suman Thakur, Block President Sher Singh, wife of Chief Minister Sadhna Thakur, BJP leaders Dayal Singh were also present on the occasion amongst others.