Addressing a mammoth public meeting at Kumarsain today, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh announced opening of Sub-Divisional Officers (SDM) Office, construction of Bus Stand and Community Hall at Kumarsain in Shimla district.He announced upgradation of Primary Health centre, Badagaon to Community Health Centre, opening of PWD Sub-Division in Badagaon, Polytechnic near or around Narkanda.He also announced to grant adequate funds for renovation of temples of the area, naming the stadium at Kumarsain as Raja Sumeshwar Singh Stadium and said that the Government would bear all the expenses for construction of the same.He said that Combined Office Building at Kumarsain would only be opened, if the need for it was felt.He was accorded a rousing reception on reaching Kumarsain and a grand civic reception was organised to welcome and honour him.
Recalling the past the Chief Minister lamented that the Shikhar Style Darbar Hall and the famous Kumarsain fort which was engulfed in flames in the past, was the jewel in the crown of Kumarsain, which he was missing. He exhorted for conservation and preservation of culture, customs and traditions. Besides, the State had well conserved its fairs and festivals and the Government had contributed a lot in reviving those fairs and festivals which were loosing ground, he said.He said that roads were the life lines of any state or country and as of today there was more than 34500 kilometers of road length in the State. In 1948 there were hardly 288 kilometers of roads in the State. Many more National Highways and four laning of roads was being done, he added.
He said that at present there were 15534 schools in the State, adding that his Government was committed to provide quality education to all children. As many as 1004 new schools have been opened or upgraded and 29 new degree colleges have been opened in rural areas of the State during the last three years, taking the strength of colleges to 114. He said many colleges were opened in rural areas to benefit girl child the most.Not only this two engineering colleges were opened, the one in Jeuri near Sarahan and the other at Nagrota Bagwan in Kangra, an Indian Institute of Management was being opened at Dhaula Kuan in Sirmaur, he said.He said that during the last three years as many as 27000 people were given employment in Government sector alone besides, the honorarium of water carriers had been enhanced from Rs 1700 to Rs. 1900.
The Chief Minister said that taking into consideration the welfare of the common man, the social security pension of those aged 80 or above and to the widows below 45 years of age, had been enhanced to Rs 1200 per month. In addition to this the honorarium of Panchayat Chowkidars had also been enhanced from Rs 1850 to Rs 2050.A provision had been under Mukhya Mantri Gyan Deep Scheme to provide loan amount to the Himachali students upto Rs 10 lakh on 4 percent interest subsidy and that too irrespective of income limit. The Chief Minister also presented prizes to the meritorious students and to those who volunteered their services for making the three days Health Camp successful.
Earlier, the Chief Minister dedicated Rs 2.17 Crore Cold Store at Odi below Narkanda with storage capacity of 700 metric tonne. He also laid foundation stones of 50 bedded hospital building at Kumarsain, Stadium at Kumarsain to be constructed with an outlay of Rs 1.85 crore and augmentation of various Water Supply Schemes for Kumarsain, Matiana, Kotgarh and Sainj to be constructed with an outlay of Rs 150 crore which would facilitate better functioning of 123 existing schemes of 46 panchayats of the area having population of around 91 thousand. The water would be lifted from Kurpan Rivulet from adjoining Kullu district. He also said that wherever there was a need of the Cold Store in the State, it would be given on priority.He was accorded warm welcome en-route Rampur from Shimla at Narkanda, Odi and Kumarsain. Irrigation and Public Health Minister, Smt. Vidya Stokes while speaking on the occasion assured to fulfill the demands regarding the water supply and said that Rs 150 crore drinking water supply scheme was in the offing which would solve the water problem of Kumarsain, Matiana and Theog regions wherein water would be lifted from Kurpan Khud. Every household of the area would have adequate drinking water facility soon. State Youth Congress President Shri Vikramaditya while speaking on the occasion said that the Government believes in overall and equal development of all regions. He said that youth always play a very important role in forming Governments, adding that during next one and a half year, around 40 percent youth would be exercising their right to franchise and the way the development works were being carried out, no doubt the Congress would gain from it. He said that a new polytechnic college would be opened somewhere near Narkanda. He also supported the demand of the people of the area for announcing SDM office at Narkanda. He also detailed about the Skill Development Scheme which, he said had proved to be a boon for the youth of the State, making them adaptable to the needs of the industries. He said that the Congress would repeat itself and Shri Virbhadra Singh would be Chief Minister for the seventh term.
Vice-Chairman Himachal Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation, (HPSIDC), Shri Atul Sharma welcomed and honoured the Chief Minister. He thanked the Chief Minister for gracing the occasion. He also detailed about the Free Health Camp organised at Kumarsain in which thousands of people were treated. He said that the camp was started on 26 June by Himalayan Welfare Foundation, Theog and Kumarsain Unit. He also hinted out for unity and refrained those who play politics in the name of region and religion. He also urged for construction of Bus Stand for Kumarsain, Sub-divisonal Officers Office, a community Hall, which at present was in shambles. He also urged for combined office building at Kumarsain, car parking, Upgradation of PHC, Badagaon to Community Health Centre, etc.Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Shri Nand Lal, DCC, President Shri Kehar Singh Khachi, BCC President, Narkanda, Shri Pramod Chauhan, Advisor, State Marketing Board, Shri Devendar Shyam, Chairman, APMC, Shimla-Kinnaur, Shri Mahendar Stan, Chairman, APMC, Kullu, Shri Upendrakant Mishra, Vice-Chairman HPMC, Shri Prakash Thakur, Member, BoD, HPTDC, Shri Rupesh Kanwal, Deputy Commissioner, Shri Rohan Thakur, SP Shri D.W. Negi and Panchayat Representatives from nearby area were also present on the occasion amongst others.