Himachal chief Minister

Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, said that government would be considering availability of atleast one minister by rotation at Dharamshala all through the year to listen to public grievances. He was addressing the media persons on his arrival at Dharamshala today.Chief Minister said that his visit to lower areas of the state had been started from 15th February, 2008 and was likely to continue till the end of current month. He said that he would himself be available to meet the public and redress their genuine grievances during the sojourn besides carrying routine functioning of the government from Dharamshala during the stay. He said that he would be meeting general public every working day forenoon and afternoon, during his stay at Dharamshala except the days scheduled for other important meetings and functions. He said that First Cabinet Meeting of the government would also be held on 22nd February, 2008 followed by other meetings. He said that maximum time would be devoted to meet the people of the lower areas so that they could get their problems addressed directly to the Chief Minister and get required redressal.Prof. Dhumal said that he had called on the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister, Dr. P.Chidambaram and Railway Minister, Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav, and raised the demand of providing the state its due share in railway network expansion since independence. He said that during the visit of the Prime Minister, he had announced completion of the Nangal-Talwara railway line by year 2008, while the Talwara destination was still about 25 Kms. away from the new railhead. He said that Union Finance Minister during his visit to the state last year had announced construction of the Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri broad gauge railway line on behalf of the Prime Minister where initial work and budgetary provisions were yet to take off. He said that the third railway line construction connecting industrial area of Baddi-Barotiwala with Chandigarh had also not been started, depriving the industrialists of cheap transportation of their raw material and finished products to the market. He said that he had been reiterating the same with the Union Government and requested them to made adequate budgetary provisions to carry forward the above three projects which were of dire necessity for the development of the state.Chief Minister said that he has also requested the Prime Minister to extend the Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri railway line to Mandi and connect the same with the Pathankot-Jogindernagar railway line by making the same as broad gauge on the one hand and on the other extend the same to Manali for further connectivity to Leh for its strategic improtance. He said that the neighbouring country China had already connected Lhasa in Tibet with all weather railway line by making the use of modern technology to feed the boundary line with necessary supplies of man and material where as our country had only air transport services mode of carrying the supplies to the forward posts, which too largely depended upon weather conditions. He said that the national boundaries needed to be connected with reliable communication system and railway was best among all which could be capable to deliver essential supplies of man and material to the borders of the country. He said that the proposal was strategically very important and debate at national level had already started to explore the possibilities of constructing the railway line through Himachal Pradesh. He said that construction work of the Rohtang Tunnel was likely to start in the near future and additional provision of railway tunnel could also be incorporated into the proposal tunnel.Prof. Dhumal said that with the broad gauge railway line network constant supply line could be maintained with the front line besides giving boost to tourism promotion in lower areas of the state. He said that there were sufficient possibilities of private participation in execution of the proposed projects which needed to be explored for the best interest of the country. He said that there was tremendous pressure vehicles on the road network of the state and with the construction of railway line that would also get reduced considerably and check pollution as well. He said that additionally he had demanded extension of the Delhi-Chandigarh Shatabdi to Una and one additional Shatabdi to connect Pathankot with the national capital. Chief Minister said that the government would continue with its thanks giving rallies all over the state to thank its party workers who had worked hard to help bring the party to power in the state and further boost their moral to work more dedicatedly for the coming parliamentary elections in the country. He said that two more such rallies would be held at Palampur and Dharamshala while Dehra and Nurpur party workers had already been addressed and thanked for their valuable contribution. He said that the infrastructural facilities for smooth functioning of the government during its stay at Dharamshala would be strengthened by constructing additional accommodation. He thanked the people of Kangra district for their overwhelming support to the party candidates during recently concluded assembly elections.Shri J.P.Nadda, Forest Minister, Shri Ravinder Ravi, IPH Minister, Shri Kishan Kapoor, Transport Minister, Shri Ramesh Dhwala, Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Dr. Rajeev Bindal, Health Minister. Smt. Sarveen Chaudhary, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Capt. Atma Ram, Shri Vipan Parmar, Shri Praveen Sharma, MLAs and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, was given a rousing reception by the people of district Kangra on his arrival in Dharamshala, who stood in long queues to welcome their leader to the district on ten days visit. He was welcomed at a number of welcome gates erected all through the route from Gaggal airport to the Dharamshala town.Chief Minister listened to public grievances at the circuit house and passed necessary directions to the local authorities to deliver relief to the affected parties besides according top priority to the problems of the local people who otherwise had to travel to Shimla to represent their cases before the government. He said that he would be available to the general public during his stay at Dharamshala and attending to public complaints. He reiterated the resolve of the government to rise upto the expectations and aspirations of the people in general and deliver them good governance with efficiency and transparency.