DW BUREAU / SHIMLA

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today laid the foundation stone of the proposed Economic Development and Livelihood Generation Project (Navjeevan) to be constructed at a cost of Rupees four crore in Hareta of Nadaun Assembly Constituency of Hamirpur district. Under this project, children Park, walking trail, yoga facility, cafeteria, watch tower and other facilities including three cottages will be constructed. The construction of this project will promote eco-tourism in the area, which will also provide employment opportunities to the local residents and increase their income.

On this occasion, the Chief Minister said that because of densest forest, Hareta area of Nadaun has been selected for the park. He said that double lane roads are being constructed in the entire Hamirpur and along with the Galore Bhatta road, other roads of the area are also being made double lane. He said that after education, we are now working to make Hamirpur a leader in the health sector and so far Rs. 470 crore has been spent on Hamirpur Medical College. In the coming time, we are going to build a state of the art cancer institute here, for which Rs. 85 crore has been sanctioned, he said.

The Chief Minister said that the previous BJP government weakened government institutions by opening these without staff and essential infrastructure, but the state government is making reforms and Rs. 1500 crore has been sanctioned to install high-tech machines in health institutions.

With high-tech machines, the diseases would be diagnosed accurately and people will get cheap and better treatment at their doorsteps. A PET scan machine will be installed in IGMC Shimla for Rs. 27 crore and the state government is going to install '3-Tesla MRI Machines' in Medical College Tanda, Medical College Hamirpur, Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialties Chamiyana, Medical College Nerchowk and IGMC Shimla.

Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that unprecedented changes are also taking place in the field of education in the state so that children can get quality education in government institutions. For this, Rajiv Gandhi Day-boarding Schools are being opened in every assembly constituency in a phased manner. He said that for electoral gains, the previous BJP government distributed freebies worth Rs. 5000 crore and subsidies were also given to the rich, but the present state government is working for public interest and not for electoral reasons.

He said, "We will not let the wealth of the state be looted and are committed to improving the living standards of the people of the state. Our decisions will not affect the poor.

The present state government is ensuring uniform development of the state and Himachal Pradesh will become self-reliant in the coming times."

The Chief Minister said that the people of the area have been blessing him for the last 20 years. He said, "When 12 Panchayats of Galore were merged with Nadaun Assembly Constituency after delimitation, the people here used to say that there has never been a minister from here, but today you have got a Chief Minister."

Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced to open a new Patwar Circle in Hareta in addition to building a new Panchayat House.

He said that budget will be provided to improve the roads and drinking water facilities of the area. Earlier, the local people gave a rousing welcome to the Chief Minister and various delegations felicitated him.

Chairman Kangra Central Cooperative Bank Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Chairman Kangra Co-operative Primary Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Ram Chander Pathania, Congress leaders Dr. Pushpinder Verma, Suman Bharti, Captain Prithvi Chand, Captain Prem Chand, representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions, other dignitaries and officers were also present on the occasion.

(editor@dailyworld.in)