While addressing the virtual rally of Hamirpur Parliamentary Constituency from Shimla today, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that in this era of Covid-19, the nation was safe and secure in the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was effectively guiding the nation to bail out from this corona crisis.The Chief Minister said that a virus has forced all of us to address each other virtually and not actually. The credit for this goes to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for envisioning ‘Digital India’. He said that the digital India has helped us to interact with the field officers and elected representatives of PRIS in this testing time of Covid-19. He said that the State BJP has been the front runner organization of the country to hold maximum virtual rallies. He said that over 22 lakh masks were distributed among the needy besides contributing about Rs. 1.93 crore towards the PM CAREs by the State BJP.He said that the people of the country were fortunate that during this testing time a strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was leading us. It was due to the timely steps taken by the Prime Minister that the death rate in the country due to Covid-19 was very low as compared to all the developed countries. He said that the decision of timely lockdown by the Prime Minister helped in checking the spread of this virus, besides providing time to create required infrastructure to check the virus. He said that without these steps the situation of the country would have been alarming. He said that fifteen most developed countries of the world has reported about five lakh death due to Covid-19, but in India this number was about 15,000.Jai Ram Thakur said that due to the timely decisions taken by the State Government at one stage, Himachal Pradesh was about to become Covid-19 free State, but due to arrival of about 2 lakh people of the State stranded in different parts of the country, this number today has crossed the 800 mark. He said that but at the same time it was the moral duty of the State Government to bring back our people stranded in other States. He said that the people of the State need not worry as all the people coming from other States were being kept under quarantine and after proper tests they were being allowed to go home. He urged the people for providing their whole hearted support to the State Government during this Covid-19 pandemic.Chief Minister thanked the Union Government and Prime Minister for starting various Central schemes. He said that 1.36 lakh women of the State had been provided free gas connections under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna besides giving three free gas cylinders facility during Covid-19 pandemic. He said that 1,11,863 beneficiaries had been benefitted under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana by giving them two instalments of Rs. 500.Jai Ram Thakur said that Central Government had also transferred Rs. 500 each for three months from April to June, 2020 into the accounts of 5.90 lakh women under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna. He said that State Government had also launched ‘One Nation –One Ration Card Scheme to facilitate the people of the State. He said that Central Government had also increased the daily wage of MNREGA workers by Rs. 20 per day.
Jai Ram Thakur said that the State Government had also started several schemes such as social security pension under Rs. 1500 per month was being provided to 2.90 lakh senior citizens, He said that Rs. 217.85 crore were provided as three months advance pension to 5.69 lakh social security pension beneficiaries by the State Government.Chief Minister said that State Government had also provided free gas connections to over 2.76 lakh women under Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojna to make a Himachal Smoke free State of the country. He said that similarly State Government had launched HIMCARE Yojna in the State under 5.50 lakh families had been registered. He said that 85,800 people had taken benefit of this scheme till now on which Rs. 76.85 crore had been spent.Jai Ram Thakur said that the one year tenure of Union Government had been full of historic decisions like abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, abolition of Triple Talaq and Citizen Amendment Act etc.Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said that it was the vision of National BJP President JP Nadda to organize these Jan Samwad Rally throughout the country to publicise the one year achievements of the present BJP Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that Himachal Pradesh was not only a Dev Bhoomi but also a Vir Bhoomi as lakhs of sons of the State were showing their valour in the armed forces. He said that 45 years ago on this day, emergency was imposed in the country by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He said that Congress showed that they have little respect for the democracy.Union Minister appreciated the efforts of the State Government in effectively dealing with the covid-19 situation. He said that Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur showed concern about the people stranded in other States of the country. He said that although this resulted in sharp increase in Covid-19 cases but it shows the sensitivity of Jai Ram Thakur.Dharmendra Pradhan said that during this Covid-19 crisis, the Union Government has transferred about Rs. 70000 crore into the accounts of the needy at this time of distress. He said that Rs. 20 lakh crore economic package announced by the Prime Minister has helped every section of the society. He said that at survey conducted by an independent agency has found that out of 100 people of the country 73 people have reposed full faith in Union Government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that double engine at Centre and State of BJP Governments would surely make Himachal Pradesh a most developed State of the country.
Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur said that present tenure of the BJP Government has been witness to several historic decisions such as abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, abolition of Triple Talaq and Citizen Amendment Act etc. He also appreciated the efforts of the State Government led by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur for handling the Covid-19 pandemic effectively. He said that even an independent agency has ranked the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur as the most popular Chief Minister of the country. He said that it was on this day in 1975 that emergency was imposed by the then Congress Government. He said that this was the darkest day of Indian democracy. On the other hand, the Modi Government has made India a world leader and has announced Rs. 20 lakh crore package for revival of economy.Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Virender Kanwar said that the Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to hold this virtual rally by using the new mode of IT. He said that it was due to the efforts of the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur that the situation of the State was under control due to the timely steps taken by the Government. He said that over three lakh people of the State were being benefitted due to effective implementation of MNREGA. He said that Mukhya Mantri Ek Bigha Yojna has been launched in the State for development of kitchen gardens to supplement the income of women of the State.Palak of Hamirpur Constituency Satpal Satti presented vote of thanks.Industries Minister Bikram Singh, MLAs J.R. Katwal and Rajender Garg, General Secretary Trilok Jamwal, Organizing Secretary Pawan Rana were also present on the occasion among others.