Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that the people of the state should come forward to make significant contribution in helping the farmers to double their income by the year 2022 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was working hard to realize it. The state government was striving hard to create another institution like College of Horticulture and Forestry (COH&F), Neri in the cold region of the state and the matter was with the finance department for approval.He was speaking at Neri near Hamirpur after inaugurating the girl's hostel building, named Jwalaji, constructed at a cost of Rs.235 lakhs and UG block of the college of Horticulture and Forestry built at a cost of Rs.479 lakhs in the premises of the College of Horticulture and Forestry.Jai Ram Thakur congratulated the College of Horticulture and Forestry, Neri for making such a rapid progress within a span of seven years.The Chief Minister announced a sum of Rs. 6.70 crores for construction of PG block in the premises of the COH&F and Rs.5.78 crores for boys and girls hostel. He directed the Deputy Commissioner to complete all the formalities for transfer of 23 hectares of land available adjoining the college premises.He castigated the Opposition for making false propaganda as the central government was giving liberal financial assistance to the state in carving and completion of various developmental projects in the state. He thanked the Gujarat government for providing land to the state government for construction of Himachal Bhawan for the people who would go to see the Statue of Unity constructed in Gujarat.
The Chief Minister said that there were as many as 562 princely states in the country at the time of independence and the credit for unifying all these states goes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as he was the only person who took this work in his hand and completed it with complete success. Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to take the cause of making the Statue of Unity in his hand and today 182 meter statue was dedicated to the nation, the highest in the world so far.Earlier, the Chief Minister dedicated newly constructed building of District Library at Hamirpur constructed at a cost of Rs. 400 lakhs which would facilitate the students, research scholars and general readers across the district. He also inaugurated the newly constructed bridge over Dughat Khud on Mattansidh-Hamirpur road built at a cost of Rs. 56 lakhs.Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal while addressing the gathering said that the college was started in 2011 under the auspices of Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni. He praised the institution for taking a lead in the state by creating its own infrastructure under self-finance scheme.Member of Parliament Anurag Thakur thanked the Chief Minister for getting the Dugga Khadd bridge constructed on Hamirpur-Shimla road within a period of six months. Local M.L.A. Narendra Thakur briefed about various development activities being carried out in Hamirpur constituency.Vice Chancellor, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Dr. Hari Chand Sharma put forth the demands of the university.Dean of the university Dr. Preetam Chand Sharma presented the vote of thanks. M.L.A. Kamlesh Kumari, former MLA and Vice Chairman, HRTC Vijay Agnihotri, Zila Parishad Chairman Baldev Sharma, Vice Chairman Rakesh Thakur, District BJP President Chandu Lal Chaudhary were also present on the occasion.