Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today announced to open government Degree College at Sarahan in Pachhad assembly constituency of Sirmaur district. Shri Virbhadra Singh, who is on two days visit to Sirmaur district, made this announcement while addressing a public meeting at Sarahan.Earlier, he laid foundation stones of Kwagdhar helipad to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 10.30 lakh and new building of Civil Hospital, Sarahan which will be constructed by spending Rs. 6.29 crore in Pachhad constituency.He also presided over the closing ceremony of Bawan Dwadshi fair at Sarahan. He greeted the people on Baman Dwadashi adding that he had special affection for the people of Sirmaur district. He said the helipad facility at Kwagdhar (Sarahan) would give a big boost to tourism activities in the area besides providing self-employment avenues to the locals. The new hospital block at Sarahan would provide additional bed facility and people of the Pachhad constituency would be able to get better and quality health facilities.
Shri Virbhadra Singh said he had announced Degree College for Sarahan during his previous term and a provision of Rs. 5 crore was also made to construct college building, but the BJP government de-notified it. Now, the construction of college building would be started soon for which adequate funds would be provided. He said that Sarahan petrol pump would again be made functional by the HIMFED after holding inquiry into complaints of mixing of water in the petrol. He also expressed concern over the poor quality of work on Kumaharhatti-Nahan road. He said that Rs. 87.05 crore were approved by the World Bank for this road project but BJP government ignored the parameters in carrying out maintenance and restoration work.
Chief Minister said that successive Congress governments had been ensuring speedy and balanced development of the State as a result of which this hilly State had emerged as a role model in the country. He asked the people to come forward in donating the land for construction of roads under PMGSY so that they could take benefits of development.Health Minister Shri Kaul Singh Thakur said that strengthening the health services network especially in the rural areas of the State was topmost priority of the government. He said that Rs. 1183 crore were being spent on strengthening the health services in the State during current financial year and 50 more ambulances had been added to National Ambulance Services with a view to cater to the need of people in emergency. He said that 100 posts of doctors will be filled during this year.
He said that cases of benami transactions had been reported during previous BJP government's tenure. The government would enquire such cases without any discrimination and stern action would be taken against the defaulters.
Chief Parliamentary Secretary Shri Vinay Kumar thanked the Chief Minister for giving pace to development in the district. He said Rs. 3.76 crore were being spent on various health programmes under National Rural Health Mission in Sirmaur district during this financial year. A provision of 1.5 crore had been made to provide free medicines and life saving drugs in health institutions of the district.
Deputy Chairman, Planning Board and former Minister Shri G.R Musafir raised the demand for college in Sarahan. He said that Sirmaur district had always witnessed all-round development whenever Congress governments remained in power but BJP government completely ignored the interests of the people of the district and all developmental works had come to standstill. He thanked the Chief Minister for giving added priority for the development of Sirmaur district.Local MLA Shri Suresh Kashyap urged the Chief Minister to re-open the petrol pump at Sarahan.Block Congress President Shri Sirmaur Singh welcomed the Chief Minister.Zila Parishad member of BJP from Deothi Majhgaon Smt. Deepmala joined the congress on the occasion. Shri Ramesh Garg, the owner of Timber Trail Resort, Parwanoo presented a cheque of Rs. one lakh to the Chief Minister towards Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Former MLA Shri Harshwardhan Singh Chauhan, Zila Parishad Chairman Smt. Dayal Pyari, District Congress President Shri Rajesh Solanki, General Secretary Ms. Pariksha Chauhan. Chairman, Nagar Panchayat, Rajgarh Shri Dinesh Arya, senior Congress leader Smt. Kunjana Singh, other senior party leaders and prominent people of the area were present on the occasion.