While addressing a public meeting at Bhatog in Darang Vidhan Sabha area of Mandi district today, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that during his one day tour to the area he was dedicating and laying foundation stones of 44 developmental projects worth about Rs. 200 crore in Darang vidhan sabha area of Mandi district. He said that despite being represented by a senior leader, Darang remained neglected for years. He suggested Jawahar Thakur to request the Congress leader from the area to take a round of Darang constituency to get first-hand information regarding unprecedented development this area has witnessed during the last about three and half years.
Chief Minister announced shifting of PWD Division No-1 from Mandi to Darang, Rs. 25000 each for Mahila Mandals present on the occasion from Vidhayak Nidhi of Jawahar Thakur, Rs. 10 lakh each for construction of Panchayat Bhawans in two new panchayats of the area and Rs. 3 lakh for construction of link road in the area. He said that the State Government would take up the matter regarding opening of sub judge court at Darang.
At Bhatog, the Chief Minister inaugurated and laid foundation stones of developmental projects worth Rs. 100.82 crore which include dedication of developmental projects of Rs. 22.66 crore at Bhatog including Rs. 5.84 crore augmentation and improvement of Water Supply Scheme to PC habitation of census villages Footakhal, Hiun, Pundal, Katindi etc. in Gram Panchayat Jilham, Gawali, Siun, Katindi etc. in Padhar area, Rs. 1.07 crore Rajaswa Sadan building at Padhar, Rs. 1.59 crore 40 meter span bridge over Deyoli Khad on Baragaon Bah Padwahan road under PMGSY, Rs. 65 lakh 40 meter span bridge over Luni Khad on Kunnu Nashadhra Batdhar Manaroo road under NABARD, Rs. 4.28 crore Banogi Chehar Chaila road under PMGSY, Rs. 6.10 crore metaling and tarring of Nagrota Segaiduhag Chaknwar Pali road under NABARD, Rs. 2.73 crore metaling and tarring of Shingari-Babli-Chhahri-Gajoun School road under NABARD and Rs. 40 lakh additional accommodation to Government High School Chukku.
Chief Minister laid foundation stones of Rs. 11.70 crore Lift Irrigation Scheme from river Beas to village Tandoo-Mehar-Pakhari-Dadwas and Bhatog in tehsil Sadar, Rs. 60.58 crore Lift Water Supply Scheme to PC habitation Baragaon, Kufri, Dhamchayan and Tikker etc. in tehsil Padhar under NDB Scheme, Rs. 2.50 crore Shiv Project at Badagaon and Rs. 3.38 crore Choura to Kumharda road under PMGSY.
Jai Ram Thakur said that despite the pandemic the State Government ensured that the development goes on interrupted. He said that the achievements of the State in PMGSY have been lauded at the national level. He said that PMGSY has proved boon to the people of Himachal Pradesh as even the remotest village of the State was being connected by roads under this scheme. He said that this scheme was the brain child of former Prime Minister Bharat Ratan Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Chief Minister said that during the Corona pandemic the State Government laid special stress on increasing the health infrastructure in the State. He said that there were only 1200 beds in the health institutions of the State, which in a short period have been increased to about 5000. Similarly, there was only one oxygen plant in the State whereas today the State has ten functional oxygen plants and 28 more oxygen plants were being established soon.
Jai Ram Thakur said that State government is providing social security pension to every eligible person, free gas connections and free treatment to poor and needy. He said that Shagun Yojna has been started to provide financial assistance of Rs. 31000 to girls of poor families at the time of their marriage.
Chief Minister also listened to “Man Ki Baat’ programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion.
MLA Darang Jawahar Thakur while welcoming the Chief Minister to his home constituency said that this was the fourth visit of the Chief Minister in his constituency, which shows his concern towards the development of the area. He said that today itself Chief Minister would be dedicating and laying foundation stones of developmental projects about Rs. 200 crore in Darang vidhan sabha area. He said that the previous leadership of the area, who represented the constituency several times, did nothing for development of the area, except misguiding the people by false promises and tall claims. He said that the three and half year tenure of the State Government has ensured unprecedented development of Darang area. He also detailed various developmental activities going on in the area and also detailed developmental demands of Darang area. He also thanked the Chief minister for sanctioning Rs. 1 lakh to a poor widow Laxmi Devi of Pakhri village of gram panchayat Tandu in Darang area, whose son is in coma for the last about 22 years after he met a road accident, besides directing the Deputy Commissioner to bring this family under Sahara Yojana so that the family could get a monthly help of Rs. 3000.
MLA Balh Inder Singh Gandhi, Chairman Waqf Board Rajbali, Chairman MILKFED Nihal Chand Sharma, Chairman Zila Parishad Mandi Pal Verma, former Chairman Sainik Welfare Board Brig. Khushal Thakur, Mandal President Dalip Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Mandi Arindham Chaudhary, SP Mandi Shalini Agnihotri were present on the occasion among others.
