CM Sukhu announces devp projects in Bilaspur

Kullu: Himachal chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday addressed a large public meeting at Barthin in the Jhandutta Assembly constituency of Bilaspur district, and announced Rs 2.5 crore for the construction of the Re-Radoh bridge and a bridge at Dadhog Tappay village. He also announced that schools at Barthin, Gehadvi and Jhandutta would be brought under the CBSE curriculum. During his visit, the CM announced the opening of a sub-tehsil at Talai, a cooperative bank at Malhot and the upgradation of the Primary Health Centre at Kalol. He also honoured the family of late Shaurya Chakra awardee Baldev Chand.Attacking the previous govt, he said, "The previous BJP govt spent Rs 5,000 crore for political gain instead of distributing it among the people. The present govt received Rs 50,000 crore as liabilities from the BJP govt, including loans. The present Congress govt has created new sources of income, and shut the doors of corruption. While the govt took loans of Rs 23,000 crore, it repaid Rs 26,000 crore towards principal and interest."
He said that for 73 years, Himachal Pradesh received grants as per constitutional provisions, but these were now stopped. He said that 68 percent of the state's land was forest land, and people survived on the remaining 32 percent, which was ignored.He called February 1 a "black day" in Himachal's history, when the Central Govt stopped annual grants of nearly Rs 10,000 crore. He questioned BJP MPs and MLAs, asking whether they would raise their voice for the Rs 50,000 crore the state would now lose in 5 years. He said this was an attack on the rights of the people and the fight would be taken forward with public support. He added that he was ready to go to Delhi under the leadership of BJP MLAs to fight for the rights of Himachal, saying individuals may change but the fight for the state must come first.The CM said the state govt has also reduced the royalty for fishermen from 15 percent to 7.5 percent, and it would be reduced further in the future. "There is pressure on me to stop the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), but I will not give in. As long as there was a Congress govt in Himachal Pradesh, OPS would not be stopped," he added. He said the Central Govt stopped Rs 1,600 crore assistance because OPS was implemented. Earlier, the minister inaugurated the administrative building of the Govt Polytechnic, Kalol, named after Param Vir Chakra awardee Naib Subedar Sanjay Kumar, constructed at a cost of Rs 3.30 crore.He said the Central team assessed disaster losses at Rs 9,300 crore, but BJP MPs remained silent in Parliament and did not raise a single question. He said he personally visited every disaster-affected area, including Jhandutta.Without people even asking, the govt increased compensation for collapsed houses from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh. Rent assistance of Rs 10,000 in towns and Rs 5,000 in villages was provided. He said sharing people's pain was real change in governance.He said Congress leader Sonia Gandhi introduced MGNREGA to provide employment, but the present Central Govt weakened the scheme and took away job opportunities. BJP MPs, he said, remained silent on this issue as well.Apart from this, the minister laid the foundation stone for the upgradation of the Ghumarwin-Barthin-Shahtalai road at a cost of Rs 12.88 crore, the revised sewerage scheme for Shahtalai town costing Rs 25 crore, and the beautification of Charan Ganga at Shahtalai, to be completed at a cost of Rs 1.25 crore. MSID:: 127940569 413 |