Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh, accompanied with his wife and former Member of Parliament, Pratibha Singh inaugurated the traditional Bishu fair at Ghoond in district Shimla today. While speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the fairs and festival were part and parcel of the life of the people of the Himachal Pradesh and we need to carry on and preserve the traditions customs, culture and language for the coming generation. He said that the ancient architectural look of the temples to be renovated should be maintained as it will keep reminding us of our traditions and further strengthening our faith in local Devis and Devtas.
“Though I have been to this area many times before but it was traversed on foot by me but I am happy to know that all such hard areas have been connected by Road”, said Virbhadra. He said that as soon as sanctions were accorded by the Government and the PWD the local link roads as demanded by the people will be completed soon. The Chief Minister directed the Officers of the IPH department to complete the water supply scheme soon and work to be allotted to competent agency whose foundation stone was laid by him today.He said that earlier when Himachal was formed there was 1000 Kms of road and that too for small vehicles and today there were as many as 34000 kilometers of road in length and breadth of the State. Today every village was having electricity, and whereas there were just four to five hundred schools earlier, today there were as many as 17500 school in the State besides many colleges for providing better and quality education to the children and which were mostly opened during the congress regime.He reminded that there were few hospitals in the state during the time of its formation today besides IGMC and Tanda College three more medical colleges were being opened in Chamba, Nahan and Hamirpur.
He said that Indian Institute of Technology has been opened in Mandi District and the students would be picked up for job in the campus interviews. The development has no bounds, it is infinite and we have to complete a long journey for making Himachal a self sufficient fully and developed amongst the hilly States in the Country.He said that it was during the congress regime that the State and the Country witnessed development and achieved many milestones. All roads, Hospitals, Schools etc. were given by the congress Governments and we will make sure that every left out nook and corner of the State be covered with road network.He said that the World Bank funded Theog-Hatkoti-Rohru road was the main life-line for the people of the area and warned the Chadha and Chadha Construction company to complete the road before the ensuing apple season or else his tender would be cancelled. “Our roads should not be left out because of the lackadaisical approach of the contractors” said he. The chief Minister clearly warned the company working on Theog-Hatkoti-Rohru Road to complete the work as desired or else he will be blacklisted.The Chief Minister also urged for smooth flow of traffic without much congestion.
He lauded the efforts of the Girl Child, who has outnumbered the boys in school and college merits and said that only that society prospers where the girl education is given importance.He announced starting of science classes at GSSS Ghoond and if need be additional rooms would be constructed, said the chief minister.He wished happiness and prosperity for the people of the area on the occasion of the Bishu Utsav.The Chief Minister said that ‘Thoda’ should be incorporated in the Rural Games and competitions so as to promote the traditional game.He announced a sum of Rs 5100 each to the Thoda teams of Kalasi (Balsan) and Guvai (Sandhu). He directed the authorities to maintain the traditional looks of the temple and announced rupees four lakhs for its decoration and advised not to carry out any commercial activity or construction in front of the temple.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated Ghoond Kenchi-Pantha road and also performed the foundation stone laying ceremony of Lift water supply scheme Giri Khad Karau to Dendhar in Gram Panchayat Ghood to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.90 crore. This will benefit 26 habitations of two Gram Panchayats with population of around 2000. This scheme will solve the water problem of the area till the year 2034. Later, he inaugurated the newly constructed Gram Panchayat building at Ghhond constructed at a cost of Rs. 14.50 lakh.He announced Rs. 2500 each to the children of three government schools who presented colourful cultural programme on the occasion.Earlier the people of Bagain Panchayat welcomed the Chief Minister en-route Ghoond. The Chief Minister on their demand upgraded the Damyana Middle School to High School and also ensured adequate funds for the Panchayat Ghar.Local MLA, Balbir Singh Verma while welcoming the Chief Minister and Pratibha Singh in his assembly segment said that the Chief Minister was well aware of the problems of the area. He counted and detailed about the development works in his constituency. He also congratulated the people of Ghoond-Balsan for the Bishu Fair.
He thanked the Chief Minister for providing HRTC Depot at Nerwa, Sub-Tehsil at Deha and upgrading the far flung Kupvi Sub-tehsil to Tehsil. He also demanded up-gradation of the Community Health Centre and science lab facility in the GSSS Ghoond.He demanded ‘Thoda’ a traditional game to be given National recognition.
Chairman, State Agriculture Marketing Board, Subhash Manglet termed the regime of the Chief Minister as the period witnessing immense development all over the State. He thanked the Chief Minister for inaugurating and laying foundation stones of more than 15 roads in the area last week besides providing water supply schemes and other development works for the area. He said that the people of Chopal Tehsil were indebted to Virbhadra Singh for carrying out development works. He also raised the demands of the area.The President District Congress Committee, Shimla Rural, Kehar Singh Khachi, felicitated the people of the area for the beginning of the Bishu Utsav. He lauded the efforts of the Chief Minister terming him as Yug Purush and ensuring development of the area. Earlier, Pradhan Gram Panchayat Ghoond Rama Jhangta welcomed the chief minister on the occasion and raised the local demands and thanked him for laying foundation of the lift water supply scheme for the Ghoond and adjoining Panchayat.Naresh Jhangta, Member Mela Committee thanked the chief minister. The Temple Committee Ghoond also welcomed the Chief Minister and his wife and former MP, Smt Pratibha Singh on the occasion. Tikka Sahib Ghoond, Satinder Singh, Vice-Chairman HPSIDC, Atul Sharma, Up-Pradhan Chet Ram were present on the occasion amongst others.