16 July, 2021 would remain a memorable day for the people of Jubbal and Kotkhai Vidhan Sabha area of Shimla district when Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while addressing elected representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions during the district level Swaran Jayanti Gram Swaraj Sammelan at Kharapathar today announced opening of two SDM offices at Jubbal and Kotkhai besides enhancement in procurement price of apple under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) by rupees one per kilogram.Jai Ram Thakur also announced opening of Block Development Office at Kotkhai, fire sub-station at Tikkar in Jubbal Kotkhai area, opening of sub-tehsil at Kalbog and shifting of the office of sub-tehsil Sawara (Saraswatinagar) and Police Station Sawara to the new building of HP Power Corporation. He said that Rs. 20 lakh each would be provided to nine newly created panchayats in the Rohru and Jubbal-Kotkhai Vidhan Sabha area for construction of panchayat bhawans. The Chief Minister said that there was adequate flow of funds to the Panchayati Raj Institutions and the elected representatives must ensure they come up with innovative ideas and schemes for development of their panchayats. He said that the elected representatives of the PRIs were being imparted training but the corona pandemic had adversely affected all their activities.Jai Ram Thakur said that the Corona pandemic adversely affected the world economy and our State and Country was not an exception.
However, the timely steps taken by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured that the there was minimum loss and the country was now gradually coming out from this situation. He said that the State Government ensured that the pace of development did not get affected due to the pandemic.He said that during this period the State Government virtually inaugurated and laid foundation stones of developmental projects worth about Rs. 4000 crore. He said that the State Government has completed over three and a half years in office and this period had been full of achievements. Himachal Pradesh was one of the best States in the country in Covid-19 management and there was no dearth of logistics such as oxygen, beds, ventilators etc. for Covid patients.The Chief Minister said that as many as 3.15 lakh families had been provided free gas connections under the Grihini Suvidha Yojna. He said that under Sahara Yojna, as many as 15000 families were being provided financial assistance of Rs 3000 per month who have a chronically ill patient.He paid rich tributes to former Minister Narender Bragta and remembered his contributions particularly for the apple belt of the State. He also inaugurated exhibition put up by various NGOs and departments on the occasion. Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj said that the State was fortunate that an energetic and young Chief Minister in form of Jai Ram Thakur was heading the State, who himself was from a humble background. He said that the very first decision of the State Government was aimed at upliftment of the poor and the downtrodden. He said that the farmers were fleeced by the commission agents at various markets of the country, but now several markets had come up in the State due to the efforts of the BJP governments in the State and former Minister late Narender Bragta, who always stood for the welfare of the horticulturists. He said that Rs. 20 crore each had been provided this year for construction of fruit and vegetable markets at Mehandli (Rohru) and Bhattakuffar (Shimla).
He also urged the Chief Minister to increase the minimum support price of the apples under the MIS to facilitate the horticulturists. Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Virender Kanwar said that Panchayati Raj Institutions were the grass-root institutions of democracy and the State Government was committed to strengthen the same. The State Government under the able leadership of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur was committed for welfare of the horticulturists. He said that the foundation stone of fruit market at Parala was laid by the then Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. He also urged the Chief Minister for opening BDO office at Kotkhai to facilitate the people of the area. He said that adequate funds would be provided to the panchayats for construction of Panchayat Ghars.MPP and Power Minister Sukhram Chaudhary said that the State Government under the able leadership of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has ensured that the voltage problem in the rural area was solved in a proper manner. He also thanked the Chief Minister for initiating various welfare schemes for the socio-economic upliftment of the poor and the downtrodden.Director, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Rugved Thakur detailed about various schemes launched by the Government for empowerment of Panchayats. He said that the State Government was also imparting training to the newly elected members of the PRIs. He said that the members of the PRIs were also being trained for effective use of IT tools.Mandal BJP President Anil Kalta detailed various developmental demands of the area.Earlier, two-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect to former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and former Minister Narender Bragta on the occasion.MLA Balbir Verma, Chairperson, Land Mortgage Bank Shashi Bala, Chairman APMC Naresh Sharma, President District BJP Ajay Shayam, State BJP IT Convener Chetan Bragta, Deputy Commissioner Shimla Aditya Negi and other prominent BJP leaders were also present on the occasion among other.