As many as 8.74 lakh farmers of the state have been benefitted under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna by depositing Rs. 2000 in their accounts. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur disclosed this while addressing the virtual rallies of BJP Mandals of Bharmour in Chamba district, Pachhad in Sirmaur district, Doon in Solan district and Hamirpur through video conferencing from here today.Jai Ram Thakur said that the state government has provided free gas cylinder and connection to about 2.76 lakh families under the HP Ghrihini Suvidha Yojna besides 1.36 lakh families have been provided free gas connections under the Ujjwala Yojna. The two instalments Rs. 500 each have been deposited in accounts of 1,11,863 poor persons under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna. As many as 5.69 lakh people have been provided enhanced social security pension in advance for a period of three months, he added.The Chief Minister said that the COVID-19 pandemic has took the whole world by surprise completely shattering the global economy. Almost most of the countries have been affected by this virus and were fighting hard to come out of this epidemic. The people have been forced to remain isolated and rethink and re-plan developmental policies and programmes. He said that the Centre and state governments are working hard to ensure minimum loss to human lives. The efforts of the state government have been appreciated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also acknowledged by a prestigious independent agency which was a big honour for a small state like Himachal Pradesh.He said that each and every citizen of the country has reposed full faith in the leadership of Narendra Modi and are obeying every advisory and guideline issued by him to fight this epidemic. The Congress leaders of the State were in a confused situation as they initially urged the state government to bring back the people stranded in different parts of the country.
Now, when about two lakh people had been brought back, the same leaders were blaming the government for this action which increased the COVID-19 cases in the state, he added.The Chief Minister said that it was the duty of the government to bring these people back home as they were our own people and we could not leave them in this hour of distress. He said that the people of the state need not to panic, as all the cases of Corona positive were either those who had come from other states or were their primary contacts. All these people arriving from various parts of the country were being been kept in institutional or home quarantine and were not allowed to mingle with general public.Jai Ram Thakur thanked the Prime Minister for Rs. 20 lakh crore package for reviving the economy of the country. The package announced for MSME sector would go a long way in reviving the economy of Himachal Pradesh as well as about 95 percent of the industries in the state fall under this sector. He also thanked the Union Government for increasing the funds under MNREGA. Referring to development of Bharmour area, the Chief Minister said that Rs 65.79 crore were being spent under the tribal sub-plan in Bharmour on various developmental projects. The construction on 100 bedded civil hospital was in progress by spending Rs. 19.57 crore. He said that classes had been started in Adarsh Eklavya residential school in Khani Gram Panchayat. He said that work was also in progress on beautification of famous Chaurasi temple at Bharmour. He also detailed various developmental projects being executed in Bharmour, Pachhad, Doon and Hamirpur Assembly constituencies.Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur said that the Rs. 3 lakh crore economic package announced by the central government for traders would help the traders in reviving their economy who would be provided soft loans which could be repaid within four years. He said that the centre and the state government were effectively handling the present crisis in the country.MLA Bharmour Jai Lal Kapoor, MLA Pachhad Reena Kashyap, MLA Doon Paramjit Pammi and MLA Hamirpur Narender Thakur detailed various developmental demands of their respective areas.Member of Parliament, Shimla Parliamentary area Suresh Kashyap, State BJP General Secretary Trilok Kapoor, MLA Nahan Dr. Rajiv Bindal, Vice Chairman, HP State Civil Supplies Corporation Baldev Tomar and Chairman, Marketing Board Baldev Bhandari also shared their views on the occasion.