Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur inaugurated and laid foundation stones of four developmental projects worth Rs. 62.16 crore at Mandi today. Chief Minister inaugurated upgradation and strengthening of Principal Market yard at Kangni under World Bank Funded HP HDP constructed at a cost of Rs 1.30 crore, 100 bedded Maternity and Child Hospital Building at Mandi constructed with an amount of Rs. 28.55 crore and Rs. 2.36 crore Model Career Centre at Mandi.
He also laid foundation stone of Anaj Mandi at Kangni to be constructed by spending an amount of Rs. 29.02 crore. Chief Minister honoured a girl child under 'Beti Hai Anmol' programme and provided her opportunity to perform inaugurations and foundation stones alongwith him on the occasion.
While addressing the people on the occasion, Chief Minister said that the Model Career Centre would provide a platform for individual and group counselling of candidates regarding career and job opportunities. He said that the Model Career Centre would work upon NCS portal on a large scale and this portal would provide facility of registration to the candidates, besides upgradation of skill for the candidates like soft skills and personality development etc.
This Centre would also help the candidate in understanding the process of self-registration and help streamlining the campus interview process, he added.Jai Ram Thakur said that the first phase of this Anaj Mandi would be constructed by spending an amount of Rs. 15 crore. He said that over 20 bigha land has been provided for construction of this Mandi, which would prove highly beneficial for the farmers as well as the traders.
He said that the Rs. 29 crore 100 bedded Maternity and Child Hospital building has been equipped with all modern facilities to cater to the health requirements of the mother and child. He also thanked the then Union Health Minister and present National BJP President J.P. Nadda for providing two Maternity and Child Hospitals for the district at Mandi and Sundernagar.
Although the then Congress Government in the State did nothing for these Hospitals, the present State Government soon after coming to power expedited the construction process, he added.Chief Minister said that the State in general and Mandi district in particular has witnessed unprecedented development during the present tenure of the State Government. He said that Medical University, State University, Shiv Dham, Dev Sadan etc.
were a few projects that would go a long way in the developmental history of the Mandi district. He said that Rs. 27 crore new building of Government College Mandi would be dedicated within the next two months. He said that efforts would also be made to provide better parking facilities in Mandi town.
Jai Ram Thakur said that being from a humble background, he understands the developmental aspirations of the common man. He said that ‘Samvad Sadans’ were constructed at Secretariat and Oakover at Shimla, Mandi, Solan and Dharamshala so that people would comfortably meet the Chief Minister or other Minister for redressal of their grievances. He said that similar Samvad Sadans were coming up at Manali, Una and other parts of the State.
Chief Minister accused the senior Congress leader of the district of doing nothing for the district despite being in power for many terms. He said that now same leader was alleging that nothing has been done by the present State Government in the matter of development in Mandi district. He said that Airport would definitely come up in Mandi district which would transform the economy of the district.
He said that the State Government would consider excluding the merged areas included in Mandi Municipal Corporation as soon the new Census was over which would ensure that Mandi town has sufficient population to fulfill the required norms.
MLA Anil Sharma, while welcoming the Chief Minister, said that people of the district have great expectations from the Chief Minister as he belongs to this district. He said that being a horticulturist himself, he understands the hardships being faced by the farmers. He said that the credit of providing sewerage scheme and Indira Market to Mandi town was the vision of former Union Minister late Pandit Sukh Ram.
He also detailed a few developmental demands of the area. He also urged the Chief Minister for providing a proper Transport area in the city.Chairman Agriculture Marketing Board Baldev Bhandari while congratulating the people of the district for this Anaj Mandi, said that this would save the farmers from middlemen and get better prices of their produce.
He said that a Flower Mandi has also been set up at Parwanoo in Solan district which would prove a boon for the floriculturists of the region.APMC Mandi Chairman Dalip Thakur, while welcoming the Chief Minister, thanked him for laying the foundation stone of Anaj Mandi at Kangni to be constructed by spending an amount of Rs. 29.06 crore. He said that Market Yard would also help the farmers in selling their produce nearer to their homes.
MLAs Rakesh Jamwal, Vinod Kumar, Jawahar Thakur and Inder Singh Gandhi, former MLAs D.D. Thakur and Kanahiya Lal, Chairman Waqf Board Raj Bali, President Mahila Morcha Mandi Suman Thakur, Deputy Commissioner Mandi Arindam Chaudhary were present on the occasion among others.