PMGSY, an ambitious Rs. 60,000 crore rural road connectivity scheme launched by the former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2000-2001 during his Prime Ministership has proved a boon for the State of Himachal Pradesh. Under this scheme thousands of villages have been provided road connectivity by spending over Rs. 3000 crore in the State since its launch. This was stated by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while addressing a largely attended public meeting at Pahnallah in Kullu district today.Chief Minister said that the State Government allocated Rs. 200 crore for the current financial year for maintenance of roads in the State. He said that in addition, Rs. 4082 crore has been earmarked for Public Works Department. He said that this would ensure best road facilities particularly in the rural areas of the State. He said that he was committed for balanced and all round development of the State and to ensuring this, out of 68 constituencies he has already toured 52 Vidhan Sabha areas of the State.Jai Ram Thakur said that today itself he has laid foundation stone of road projects worth about Rs. 26 crore. This would ensure better road connectivity to the remote villages of the area. He said that development in the State was not possible without the generous Central assistance. He said that the State Government has succeeded in getting financial assistance of Rs. 6000 crore for the State from Centre due to the love and benevolence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The Chief Minister said that the ambitious Rohtang Tunnel was the great gift of late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which on completion would provide all weather road connectivity to hinterland Lahaul valley with the rest of the world. He said that in the first Budget presented by him as many as 30 new schemes have been announced in the Budget 2018-19, which was a record in itself. He said that it has been ensured in the budget that all sections of the society get due weightage.
Jai Ram Thakur said that the Jan Manch programme has emerged as a most popular programme of the State Government for speedy redressal of public grievances. He said that for the first time budget provision of Rs. 50 crore has been made for tourism sector in the State. He said that the State Government has provided State owned helicopter to be used as Heli Taxi for three days a week between Shimla and Chandigarh. Chief Minister announced Rs. 60 lakh for construction of building of Senior Secondary School Kharogi and Rs. 5 lakh for community Bhawan Kharogi. He also announced construction of Foot Bridge at Lingarbangsu.Earlier, the Chief Minister laid foundation stone of Doharanallah to Shillihar (Cheshta) road at Doharanallah to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 579.89 lakh, foundation stone of Doharnallah to Dabri road to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 90 lakh to be constructed under the Scheduled Castes component plan, foundation stone of Pahnallah to Linger Bansu Road to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 758.59 lakh and foundation stone of Badah Pahnallah to Janahal Road to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 1129.36 lakh. All these three roads would be constructed under the PMGSY and would ensure road connectivity to the remote villages of the district.Chief Minister also planted a sapling in the premises of NHPC at Nagwain. Transport and Forest Minister Govind Singh Thakur said that the State was bound to become one of the most developed State of the country. He said that the Chief Minister was committed to make Himachal Pradesh a major tourist destination of the country. He also thanked the Chief Minister for making an initiative for collective strategy with neighbouring States for checking the menace of drug abuse particularly among youth.
Member of Parliament Ram Swaroop Sharma said that it was for the first time that Chief Minister of the State belongs to Mandi Parliamentary Constituency. He said that soon after assuming office the present State Government lowered the age limit of old people for getting old age pension from 80 years to 70 years, thereby benefitting about 1.20 lakh old persons of the State.Former Member of Parliament Maheshwar Singh said that the area has immense tourism potential and urged the Chief Minister to develop the area from tourism point of view. He also detailed some developmental demands of the area and thanked the Chief Minister for laying foundation stone of four road projects for the area.Local MLA Sunder Singh Thakur welcomed the Chief Minister in his constituency. He said that his constituency was one of the most remote constituencies of the State and urged the Chief Minister to give sympathetic consideration to the developmental demands of the area. He said that heavy rains have caused great damage in the constituency and urged the Chief Minister to provide liberal assistance for restoration of the developmental works. He also urged the Chief Minister for developing the area from eco tourism point of view. BJP State General Secretary Ram Singh welcomed the Chief Minister and other dignitaries present on the occasion. He thanked the Chief Minister for providing road connectivity to the remote villages of the area. He also detailed various developmental demands of the area.MLA Banjar Surinder Shourie, Kullu district BJP President Bhim Sain, Zilla Parishad Chairperson Rohini Chaudhary, Deputy Commissioner Yunus, SP Kullu Shalini Agnihotri were present on the occasion among others.