300 Crore budget allocated for educational reforms in Himachal: Sukhu

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presided over the ‘Sarkar Gaon Ke Dwar’ program at Ladoli in Chintpurni assembly constituency of Una district today. On the occasion, 62 public complaints were received, 24 certificates were issued, and 13 mutation cases were resolved. During the event, the Chief Minister made several announcements, including a two-day Chintpurni Mahotsav in Amb, the construction of a Mini Secretariat in Amb, Rs. 10 crore for Swan River Channelization, the opening of PHC in Panjoa, and the construction of an indoor stadium. He said that to provide better employment opportunities to the youth the new edge courses would be started at Naiharian ITI. He also announces to allocation of Rs 3. crore for science classes in Government Sen. Sec School Saloe and Diara and for repairing 50 old tube wells.

The Chief Minister said that the State Government is working to provide quality education to all the children in Himachal by spending Rs. 300 crore. Under this Scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Day-Boarding Schools will be established in every assembly constituency, so that the overall development of these children could be ensured. He said that the land has been identified to open Rajiv Gandhi Day-Boarding Schools in Chintpuni assembly constituency and the construction work would be started within a year. The Government has decided to commence English medium from class one from the next session along with a decision to set an age limit of six for class one so as to reduce stress among students.

In the health sector, improvements include a Health Information Management System (HIMS) in 56 health institutions, enabling doctors to access patient details through a cloud-based server, saving time and unnecessary formalities for the citizens. Plans for robotic surgery and advanced technology are in progress and the results would be visible within two years.

Chief Minister Sukhu said that the State Government addressed the state’s financial challenges inherited from the previous government. He said that only 17 percent of the state budget is allocated to development and the rest 83 percent is for other expenses. He said that Rs. 16 thousand crore is being spent on the salary of employees, Rs. 10 thousand crore on pension whereas our budget is Rs. 54 thousand Crore. The economic condition of the state has been left ramshackle by the previous government and to bring it back on track the government is working with the motto of Vyastha Parivartan and efforts to reform the economy are underway, already showing a 20 percent improvement.

He said that the Government on its very first Cabinet meeting has reinstated OPS in the state thereby benefitting and ensuring social security to 1.36 NPS employees in the state. Disaster relief efforts were addressed, and a special package of Rs. 4500 crore was allocated for the aftermath of the gravest disaster in Himachal Pradesh’s history affecting thousands of people destroying 16 thousand houses. Compensation for damaged houses was increased manifold. He said that during the testing time when the entire state was in deep distress, the BJP leaders were busy in fulfilling their political vengeance and maneuvering during the disaster. None of the BJP MPs supported the government and went to the center seeking help for the state. Not only this, the government sent the claim of Rs. 10 thousand crore to the center in August 2023 and the BJP leaders are creating hurdles in getting it cleared for which the people of the state will never forgive them.

He said that the government is striving hard for those sections of the society who cannot raise their voices. To redress their issues and for their social as well as economic upliftment, the government has started Mukhyamantri Sukh Aashay Yojana. Under this, a law was enacted within 10 months to support 4000 orphan children, providing financial aid, and pocket money, and covering higher education expenses of all these orphans in the state.  Apart from this, the Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar Vidyarthi Rin (Loan) Scheme offers loans up to Rs 20 lakh at one percent interest for higher education.

The State Government is also actively organizing Revenue Lok Adalats, settling over 65,000 Mutations and more than 4,000 cases of partition. Recruitment efforts are in progress for over 21 thousand posts in various government departments. He said that the government has enhanced the income of farmers and horticulturists and has increased the price of milk by Rs. six per liter and also working to generate a permanent source of income for farmers.

 MLA Sudarshan Bablu said that though Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu comes from a common family, yet reached the post of Chief Minister. He said that the present government has inherited a loan of Rs. 75 thousand crore from the previous government. Just as the Chief Minister was bringing the economy back on track, disaster struck Himachal Pradesh. The Chief Minister directed all the Congress MLAs to remain in the field during the disaster and he himself remained at the front, due to which all essential services like electricity, drinking water, and road facilities were restored in record time. He said that despite not getting any help from the central government, the state government provided every possible help to provide relief to the affected families. He expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister for providing compensation for 150 houses that were damaged in the Chintpurni assembly constituency during the disaster. He thanked the Chief Minister for all the foundation stones and inaugurations done for the Chintpurni assembly constituency.

   During the program, the Chief Minister also visited the developmental exhibitions of various departments.

   Earlier, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu laid the foundation stones and inaugurated developmental projects worth Rs. 33.21 crore in the Chintpurni Assembly constituency of Una district. He laid the foundation stone of Jwar-Nari via Billan Da Sadak to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 12.81 crores and the drinking water project for Amb town to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 10.90 crores and inaugurated the ITI building at Naihariya constructed at a cost of Rs. 8.47 crore.

  On this occasion, MLAs Chaitanya Sharma and Devendra Bhutto, former Minister Kuldeep Kumar, Advocate General Anup Ratan, former MLA Satpal Raizada, District Una Congress President Ranjit Singh Rana, HPCC General Secretary Vikram Sharma, Secretary Sanjeev Kalia, former MLA Naveen Dhiman, Deputy Commissioner Raghav Sharma, Superintendent of Police Arjit Sen Thakur and other dignitaries were present.