Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti unveiled a statue of Bharat Ratna Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at the Deputy Commissioner Office complex in Hamirpur today. Marking the birth anniversary of the architect of the Indian Constitution, the Chief Minister also dedicated and laid the foundation stones for various development projects amounting to about Rs. 38 crore.
Speaking at the commemorative event organised by the Congress Party’s Scheduled Castes Department, the Chief Minister paid tributes to Dr. Ambedkar and said that his vision and leadership laid the foundation of a Constitution that ensures welfare, equality and justice for all sections of society. Inspired by Baba Saheb’s ideals, the Chief Minister said that the present state government was committed for building a self-reliant and prosperous Himachal Pradesh.
Despite the challenges posed by the reduction in GST compensation and significant cuts in revenue deficit grants by the 14th and 15th Finance Commissions, the State Government has taken major steps to strengthen the fiscal system. The positive outcomes are now visible and we seek continued public support to carry this momentum forward, he said.
He said that the state government was working to provide the best health and education systems in the country. After establishing the Cardiology Department at Hamirpur Medical College, new departments for Nephrology and Neurology would also be set up.
It would offer modern treatment for kidney and neurological ailments within the region. He said that Rs. 85 crore had already been sanctioned for a dedicated Cancer Care Institute in Hamirpur. The Chief Minister while highlighting the reforms done in education sector said that the State Government was committed to providing quality education through the Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding Schools for the children of the state.
He said that several educational institutions were opened by the previous government without any budgetary provision and without students or basic infrastructure. Similar irregularities had been observed in the health sector as well which the present government was actively rectifying.
Referring to the State Budget, he added that the government had started various welfare and developmental schemes to strengthen the rural economy. Minimum support prices for natural farming produce have been raised, and daily wages under MGNREGA have been substantially increased.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister unveiled Dr. Ambedkar’s statue installed at a cost of Rs. 15 lakh. He inaugurated residential buildings of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau constructed with an outlay of Rs 5.08 crore. Apart from this he also inaugurated a Revenue Colony worth Rs. 2.01 crore, the Sub Health Centre building and staff quarters at Dharog costing Rs 4.42 crore and a Farmers Advisory Centre built at an expense of Rs 1.71 crore. He also laid the foundation stones for a heliport to be constructed in Jaskot at a cost of Rs. 18.42 crore, a Mechanical Block at the Polytechnic College in Baroo worth Rs. 1 crore, and the Bhagot-Fafan road project with an outlay of Rs. 5.26 crore.
Chief Minister’s Political Advisor Sunil Sharma Bittu, MLAs Suresh Kumar and Captain Ranjit Singh Rana, Chairman of Kangra Central Cooperative Bank Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Chairman of Kangra Cooperative Primary Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Ram Chander Pathania, Vice-Chairman of OBC Finance and Development Corporation Dr. Mohan Lal, senior Congress leaders Dr. Pushpender Verma, Subhash Dhatwalia, Suman Bharti, APMC Chairman Ajay Sharma, Deputy Commissioner Amarjeet Singh, SP Bhagat Singh Thakur, Professor Sunil Dutt Gautam, Sheetla Gautam and Yash Gautam, who contributed to the installation of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s statue, were present on the occasion, along with office bearers of the Congress Scheduled Caste Department, other frontal organizations of the party and representatives of local bodies.