During BJP regime Himachal ranked 21st in education, under present Govt State has achieved 5th position: Chander Kumar
Agriculture Minister Shri Chander Kumar advised Leader of Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur to refrain from making baseless and spiteful statements. He said that Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was making extensive efforts to provide relief to the disaster-affected people.
He informed that the recent natural calamity during monsoons caused a loss of nearly Rs.18000 crore to the State and the Chief Minister has been working tirelessly to compensate for the loss of life and property from the existing resources. The Chief Minister has been regularly meeting Union Ministers to apprise them of the real-time situation and to seek assistance for the affected families. Despite these continuous efforts, the Centre has not extended the expected support largely due to the repeated obstruction by the BJP leaders of the State.
The Minister said that the State Government has released a special relief package of Rs. 4500 crore from its own resources during 2023 similar disaster. The centre government didn’t release a single penny then. The government has significantly increased the compensation being provided to disaster-affected people, including farmers, horticulturists, shopkeepers, displaced families, and rural as well as urban households, managing the affairs from its own. Instead of acknowledging these facts, the statements made by the Leader of Opposition on this matter are ridiculous, he added.
Chander Kumar said that instead of fulfilling his responsibilities and raising genuine public issues, Jai Ram Thakur remains occupied with baseless rhetoric. The Opposition is merely trying to mislead the people, he added.
The Minister stated that Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was ensuring the overall development of the State. While during the BJP regime, Himachal ranked 21st in the field of education, under the present government’s policies, the State has now achieved 5th position in terms of quality education.
He said that the previous BJP government opened educational institutions only for political gain, without appointing adequate staff. In contrast, the present government was ensuring availability of teachers and staff in schools. As part of educational reforms, 100 schools were being converted into CBSE-based institutions in the first phase.
Highlighting the agricultural sector, the Minister said that the previous BJP government neglected the interests of farmers, whereas the present government was committed to strengthening the rural economy. In the past two years, the State Government has increased the support price of cow milk to Rs.51 per litre and buffalo milk to Rs.61 per litre. Similarly, wheat produced through natural farming and barley grown in the Pangi area are being procured at Rs.60 per kg, maize at Rs.40 per kg, and raw turmeric at Rs.90 per kg. These initiatives are ensuring fair returns to farmers for their hard work.
Chander Kumar urged the Leader of Opposition to rise above political accusations and accept the positive changes and development initiatives of the State Government.
