Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the present state government was committed to providing quality facilities to people in all sectors, including education, health and roads. He was addressing a public meeting at Loharghat in the remote Gram Panchayat Kyar Kaneta of the Arki Assembly constituency at district Solan today.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister announced the opening of a sub-tehsil in Loharghat fulfilling a long-standing demand of the local residents. Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the state government was making infrastructural and other necessary improvements in primary sectors such as roads, education and health in the state.
The state government was ensuring that all schools in the state were equipped with all the necessary and basic facilities. He said that Rs. 600 crore would be spent on constructing school buildings in the next three years. In the health sector the infrastructure would be strengthened at medical colleges and district hospitals besides modern technology would be incorporated to expand facilities.
The Chief Minister said that for state government the objective of "Vyavastha Parivartan" was to make the state self-reliant and to provide citizens with opportunities to lead a life of dignity and respect. He said that to achieve these goals the government was introducing and implementing new schemes and the existing ones were being improved periodically.
He said that the government was focusing on reaching out to remote areas and ensuring that the benefits of schemes and programmes were reaching to each and every section of society. Sh. Sukhu said that for promoting natural farming the government was purchasing naturally grown maize at Rs. 30 per kg and wheat at Rs. 40 per kg.
So far, 398 metric tonnes of maize have been procured. He urged farmers to adopt natural farming and register to sell their produce. He said that the government has made a historic increase in milk purchase prices. A state-of-the-art milk processing plant with a capacity of 50,000 liters per day has been inaugurated in Dattanagar, benefitting over 20,000 dairy farmers.
Apart from this a fully automated milk and milk product processing plant is being established at Dhagwar in Kangra district also. Similarly, milk processing plants were being established at various places in the state. The Chief Minister said that the welfare of all sections of society was a priority for the government.
Various guarantees promised to the people were being fulfilled, including restoring the old pension scheme, which secures the future of eligible employees. He said that despite financial challenges during last year’s calamity the government has provided a special package of Rs. 4,500 crore from its own resources to help affected people.
The Government has enhanced relief aid for disaster-hit families which was 25 times more than the aid provided in the past. The Chief Minister said that the previous government left behind an empty treasury. However, through prudent financial management and developmental sachems, the state government was ensuring steady progress.
He stated that new institutions were being established only after ensuring proper arrangements to benefit people effectively, unlike the previous government, which opened institutions recklessly without proper planning, driven solely by political motives. Reflecting on his own struggles, the Chief Minister said that being from a common background I understood their hardship and struggles therefore our government was prioritizing the betterment and development of the common masses and resolute to solve their concerns and issues on priority.
He assured citizens that with the right policies and public support, Himachal Pradesh would achieve self-reliance by 2027 and become the most prosperous state in the country by 2032. On the occasion, the Chief Minister honoured Nirmala Devi, wife of martyr Havildar Ram Ratan, for his sacrifices.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. (Colonel) Dhani Ram Shandil said that the state was entering a new era of development under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. He said that "Sarkar Gaon Ke Dwar" programme was playing an important role in successfully resolving the grievances of the people at their doorsteps and building trust and confidence among citizens.
MLA Arki Sanjay Awasthi welcomed the Chief Minister to the remote Maloun Pargana and lauded his efforts to transform the state. He highlighted initiatives like the Rs. 101 crore Sukh-Ashray Kosh, which laid the foundation for social change and transforming the lives of orphaned children. He said that the government was working with utmost focus and dedication to make Himachal self-reliant and self-sufficient state.
He also apprised the Chief Minister about the various demands of the region. Gram Panchayat Pradhan Kyar Kaneta Raghuraj Parashar, representatives of Zila Parishad and Panchayati Raj Institutions, senior Congress leaders and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.