The urban poor including newly constituted Municipal Corporations of the State would be able to get benefits of assured employment under ‘Mukhiya Mantri Shahari Ajeevika Yojna’ on analogy of MNREGA being implemented in the rural areas. This was stated by the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while addressing the people at Talyahar near Mandi after inaugurating and laying foundation stones of developmental projects worth Rs 17.43 crore in Mandi Vidhan Sabha area which include inauguration of Rs. 25 lakh Integrated Command and Control Centre at Police Lines Mandi. He laid foundation stones of Rs 5.66 crore office of Superintendent of Police Building, Rs. 3.11 crore Multipurpose Hall of IRBN Pandoh, Rs. 2.07 crore 33 KV Sub Station Talyahar. Chief Minister also laid foundation stone of parking at Government Middle School Purani Mandi to be completed by spending an amount of Rs. 2.87 crore and of DNA New Block at Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Central Range Mandi to be constructed by spending Rs 1.32 crore
He also inaugurated DNA Analysis Facility at Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Central Range Mandi completed by spending Rs. 2.15 crore.Chief Minister said that about 605 projects hanging in fire due to forest clearances were cleared recently which has provided much needed relief to the State Government in executing various developmental projects in the State. He said that works on ambitious Shiv Dham worth Rs. 150 crore and 33 KV sub-station Talyahar were delayed due to the cases pending in the Apex Court for want of forest clearances. He said that now with the forest clearances the work on all these projects would be expedited.Jai Ram Thakur said that Mandi was a fast expanding and fast-growing town, which has a glorious history and a bright future. He said that in order to ensure better development of this town, the State Government decided to upgrade Nagar Parishad Mandi to Municipal Corporation.
He said that this would ensure better and planned development of the town and provide better civic facilities to the people of the town. He said that no tax would be levied on the residents of the merged areas of the town. He said that all the land rights of farmers would also remain intact.Chief Minister said the Shiv Dham Mandi would be an added attraction for people visiting the town. He said that Mandi town would be bound to regain its old and rich cultural glory.Later, while addressing the people at Purani Mandi, Chief Minister said that the parking area in Purani Mandi would go a long way in facilitating the people of the town. He said the State Government passed a bill in Vidhan Sabha to reduce the population limit for Municipal Corporation from existing 50,000 to 40,000 to ensure Mandi Nagar Parishad could be upgraded to Municipal Corporation. He said that a few people were trying to mislead the people by claiming that the Municipal Corporation would burden them with additional taxes. He said that the road from Victoria Bridge to Dangsidhar would be taken in hand soon and for which a provision has been made in the budget. Jal Shakti Minister Mahender Singh Thakur thanked the Chief Minister for upgrading Mandi Nagar Parishad into Municipal Corporation. He said that this would ensure systematic and planned development of the town. He said that schemes worth crores of rupees have been started to provide sewerage facilities to the Mandi town and new merged area of the town.Member of Parliament Ram Swaroop Sharma said that Chief Minister was committed to ensure that Mandi town becomes one of the most vibrant towns of the State. He said that now it was the responsibility of the people of the town that they give wholehearted support to the Chief Minister, so that the pace of development goes uninterrupted.MLAs Rakesh Jamwal, Jawahar Thakur, Vinod Kumar and Prakash Rana, former MLA D.D Thakur and Kanhaiya Lal, Chairman Milkfed, Nehal Chand Sharma, Chairman Wafq Board Rajbali, District BJP President Ranveer Singh, General Secretary Child Welfare Council Payal Vaidya, Chairperson Mandi Nagar Parishad Suman Thakur, BJP Mandal President Manish Kapoor, Chairman Zila Parishad Pal Verma, Deputy Commissioner Mandi Rugved Thakur, SP Mandi Shalini Agnihotri were also present on the occasion.