Shimla: Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today announced a series of development projects for Karsog Assembly Constituency including the establishment GSSS Karsog to Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding School and to be affiliated with CBSE from the next financial year. He also announced the construction of a milk processing plant and a 66 KV substation in Karsog.
The Chief Minister further announced the conversion of Tibban and Pangna schools into CBSE schools, opening of Patwar Circles at Sanarli, Mated and Baneda, and improvement of the Tattapani-Bakhrout road. He said that adequate funds would be provided to complete the ITI building, where AI and machine learning courses would be introduced soon. He also announced the appointment of a radiologist at Karsog Hospital shortly.
Sh. Sukhu said that besides the other parts of the State, Karsog constituency also suffered heavy losses during the recent monsoon disaster. He said that the State Government was conducting a study to determine the causes of such cloudbursts. The Chief Minister announced rupees seven lakh each for rehabilitation of 94 completely damaged houses.
Addressing a public meeting, the Chief Minister said that State BJP leaders were creating hindrances in additional borrowing permissions from the Central Government, even though such permissions were granted during the BJP’s tenure. He said that the Centre has withheld financial assistance to the State after the Government announced to introduce Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and has also withheld Rs.1600 crore, the loan limit, as financial assistance to the State
Accusing the BJP leaders of spreading rumours that the women were not being provided Rs.1500 under the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojna, the Chief Minister stated that the amount was being distributed to the women in a phased manner and soon all the eligible women would be covered under the ambit of the scheme. he also lashed out at BJP for opening institutions where there were not needed. He alleged that the previous government constructed buildings worth Rs.1,000 crore merely to benefit the contractors, adding that an ITI building worth Rs.40 crore was made in Chhatri and Siraj, which has just 18 students as of now. Our government has also adopted zero-tolerance towards corruption, he remarked.
The Chief Minister accused the previous double-engine government of draining the State’s treasury, stating that the Himachal Pradesh received Rs.50,000 crore less as compared to the previous BJP government, but there won’t be any constraint of funds for development and welfare purposes. “The BJP government squandered public money for political gains, whereas our government is spending every rupee for public welfare,” he said.
Highlighting the government’s initiatives in the education sector Sukhu said that due lack of vision of the previous BJP government Himachal Pradesh slipped to 21st position in quality education in 2021. The BJP government had opened schools without adequate staff or facilities. However, as of today, due to systematic approach the State has been ranked at fifth place in the education sector. Our government has initiated recruitment for 6,000 teachers out of which 3,000 have already been appointed batch-wise, so that the children are not bereft of quality education.
To strengthen the rural economy, the government has taken many measures to benefit the farming community. The Government was procuring wheat, maize, and raw turmeric produced through natural farming at Rs.60, Rs.40 and Rs.90 per kilogram, respectively. MNREGA wages have also been raised by Rs. 80 in two years.
Speaking on health reforms,Sukhu said that medical colleges were functioning with outdated machinery and the BJP Government did not pay any heed towards strengthening health infrastructure in the State. The present government has installed modern medical equipment and recruited 200 doctors during the last two years, with plans to recruit 200 more. He added that robotic surgeries are being performed at Chamiyana Hospital and Tanda Medical College.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Colonel (Dr.) Dhani Ram Shandil said that model health institutions with six specialist doctors each, are being established in every Assembly constituency, with 50 already operational. He stated that besides filling up the posts of the doctors, recruitment of paramedical staff was also being done. The newly appointed doctors would soon be deputed in far flung and remote areas of the State to cater to the health services for the people residing in such areas.
Milkfed Chairman Buddhi Singh Thakur said that under the leadership of the Chief Minister, the income of animal farmers has increased due to a Rs. 21 per litre rise in milk prices in two years. He said that Milkfed now procures three lakh litres of milk daily, compared to only 90,000 litres during the previous government’s tenure.
Congress candidate Mahesh Raj expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for the development initiatives in Karsog. Later, the Chief Minister distributed financial assistance of Rs. 18 lakh to 12 beneficiaries under the ‘Vidhwa and Ekal Nari Aawas Yojna’ as the first installment of Rs.1.50 lakh each. He also provided the second installment of Rs.1 lakh each to four children under the Chief Minister’s Sukhashray Yojana and handed over land documents to an eligible landless child under the same scheme. Two meritorious students, Pragya Thakur and Himani Thakur, were also honoured.
Earlier, on his arrival in Karsog, the Chief Minister was accorded a grand welcome in a mega road show. Karsog MLA Deep Raj, welcomed the Chief Minister on his arrival and thanked him for dedicating development projects for his constituency.
Former Minister Prakash Chaudhary, former CPS Sohan Lal Thakur, Chairman APMC, (Mandi) Sanjeev Guleria, Congress leaders Jagdish Reddy and Vijay Kanav, were also present on the occasion amongst district officers.
