Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today launched ‘Panchvati Yojna’ for senior citizens of rural areas of the State under which parks and gardens would be developed in every Development block with necessary facilities under MNREGA Scheme of Rural Development Department. He said that the main objective of this Yojna was to provide opportunity to the elderly people to spend their leisure time in entertainment and strolling in these parks and gardens.Chief Minister said that these parks and gardens would be developed on leveled land of minimum one bigha with convergence of MGNREGA, Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) and 14th Finance Commission to enhance the life expectancy keeping in view the health requirements of the senior citizens. He said that ayurvedic and medicinal plants would be grown there besides providing recreational equipments, walking tracks and other basic amenities for elderly people.Jai Ram Thakur said that during the current financial year as many as 100 such parks would be developed in different parts of the State. He said that in the first phase launching of such parks were held today through video conferencing in Development Block Gohar, district Mandi, Development block Bangana in district Una, development blocks Banjar and Naggar in district Kullu, development block Kaza in Lahaul-Spiti district, development blocks Nagrota Bagwan and Sullah in Kangra district, development blocks Paonta Sahib and Pachhad in Sirmaur district, development blocks Tissa and Bhatiyat in Chamba district, development block Kalpa in Kinnaur district, development block Kandaghat in Solan district, development block Rohru in Shimla district and development block Nadaun in Hamirpur district.Chief Minister said that the parks would prove a boon to the senior citizens to lead a healthy and happy life by taking benefits of these parks. He said that the State Government was striving hard to provide maximum facilities to the people of the State and this scheme was one of them in this direction.Jai Ram Thakur said that the Covid-19 scenario has forced the policy makers to rethink and reformulate our policies and programmes with special focus on rural development. Chief Minister said that as 90 percent population of the State reside in rural areas therefore the focus of the Government was on rural oriented policies which had been ensuring accelerated pace of development in these areas.Rural Development Minister Virender Kanwar while connecting through video conferencing from Una thanked the Chief Minister for evincing keen interest in rural development and people of the State.Secretary Rural Development Dr. Sandeep Bhatnagar presented vote of thanks.Director Rural Development Lalit Jain welcomed the Chief Minister and detailed salient features of the Scheme.Vice Chairman HRTC Vijay Agnihotri, Advisor to Chief Minister Dr. R.N. Batta and other senior officers were present on the occasion.