Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that two Government medical colleges would be opened in the State at bordering districts of Chamba and Sirmaur with the central assistance of Rs. 380 crore. He said that these medical colleges would be opened at Chamba and Nahan and would be attached with the District Hospitals. He was addressing a large public meeting at Baldwara in district Mandi after laying foundation stone of Government Degree College Baldwara and Tehsil Office at Baldwara. Speaking on the occasion the Chief Minister said that State was making rapid progress by following the strong guidelines laid by first Chief Minister of the State Dr. Y.S. Parmar. He said that Dr. Parmar used to say that roads were lifelines of Himachal Pradesh as they open up path of progress and development adding that State Government had given top priority for the construction of roads besides education, health and other sectors.Virbhadra Singh said that within one year the State Government had approved 14 degree colleges with budgetary provision of Rs. five crore each for providing proper infrastructure. Apart from it, 325 schools were opened and upgraded during this period, he added.
He said that previous BJP Government had opened many colleges during last six months tenure without making budgetary provisions and land adding that Government colleges at Baldwara, Ladbadol, Dharampur and Bilaspur were also opened by previous Government without making any budgetary provision and infrastructure. Chief Minister said that Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Medical College and Hospital, Tanda were opened by Congress Governments and now superspeciality block at Dr. RPMC, Tanda had been opened by spending Rs.150 crore. He said that ESI Medical College at Ner Chowk, Mandi would be made functional soon adding that it would not only provide medical facilities to the people but would also employment opportunities to the youth.He said that the Congress did not believe in discrimination on the lines of religion, caste, creed and region whereas BJP discriminate the people on various grounds for gaining political mileage. Shri Virbhadra Singh thanked the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh for providing One Rank One Pension to the ex-servicemen and said that it would benefit them at large. He said that Gujarat was having better infrastructure since the regime of previous Congress Governments and British era but BJP was giving its credit to Shri Narendra Modi which was not true adding that many problems such as drinking water in Saurashtra area still persist over there. He said that Sardar Patel was esteemed and visionary leader of Congress Party who had played a pivotal role for unification of Indian Union. He said that now the BJP was collecting iron for erecting his statue just for gaining political benefits.
Earlier, Chief Minister opened Sub Tehsil Badhrota at Dohpi in Sarkaghat area. He said that its building would be constructed by using prefabricated structure soon. He also announced to open PWD Sub pision at Badhrota area and performed bhoomi pujan of extension and strengthening work of Jogindernagar-Sarkaghat super state highway. Under the first phase from Sarkaghat to Bhambla Rs. 63.67 crore would be spent for 17.18 kms road length and Rs. 94.78 crore would be spent for 26.27 kms road length in the second phase from Bhambla to Ghumarwin, he added. Later, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of Parking at Sarkaghat near Mini Secretariat to be constructed by HIMUDA at a cost of Rs. 239 lakh. The 50 percent cost of its construction would be borne by the State Government and 50 percent by Nagar Panchayat Sarkaghat. It would have parking facility for 100 vehicles.
Former Minister, Shri Rangila Ram Rao thanked the Chief Minister for various developmental works in the area and said that he had fulfilled many long pending demands of the people of the area.President Block Congress Committee Gopalpur, Shri Yog Raj Thakur welcomed the Chief Minister. MLA Shri Bamber Thakur, Member Himachal Pradesh University Executive Council Shri Chander Shekhar Sharma, Member, H.P. Women Commission, Smt. Promila Devi, Vice President, Youth Congress Mandi, Shri Anil Sharma, President, District Mahila Congress Hamirpur Ms. Anjana Dhiman, President NSUI, Sarkaghat Unit Shri Akhil Gupta, Superintendent of Police Shri R.S. Negi, ADC Shri Gopal Chand, senior officers of the State Government and prominent people of the area were also present on the occasion among others.