Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, unfurled the National flag, driven in an open jeep, inspected contingents of Himachal Police,

By Bijender Sharma
Dehra GopiPur----Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, unfurled the National flag, driven in an open jeep, inspected contingents of Himachal Police, Traffic Police, Women Police, HP Police Dog squad, Police Band and Home Guards, took salute from the impressive march past commanded by Ms. Veena Bharti, IPS Probationer, organized at Dehra in District Kangra to mark the celebration of the 39th Statehood Day with gaiety and fervour as people from far and near clad in traditional costumes thronged the venue of function today.

Addressing a massive gathering on the occasion Prem Kumar Dhumal greeted the people of Himachal Pradesh on the 39th Statehood Day and counted the developmental stones established in different sectors since the State was declared the 18th State of the Union of India on January 25, 1971. He credited the successive governments in the State for farsightedness, developmental policies and programmes besides the honest and hard working people of the State, who had contributed significantly in taking the State forward to greater heights in development. He paid his tributes to the First Chief Minister of the State late Dr. Y.S. Parmar, who headed the campaign to win State its Statehood and thereby laying the foundation of the golden future. He also thanked former Prime Minister, Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee, who had always protected the interests of the State and its people at all level.

Prof. Dhumal announced 10 percent enhancement in daily wages and part time wages, who would now be getting Rs. 110 per day from March 1, 2009 to benefit about 28,000 of them, 10 percent interim relief to State Government employees and pensioners from February 1, 2009; Rs. 50 crore for subsidizing the essential commodities under Public Distribution System from current financial year inclusion of 15,000 more eligible social security pensioners in Social security Pensioners list, enhancement in the old age pension to the ex-servicemen/their widows of above 60 years of age and not getting any pensionary benefits from any source from existing Rs. 200 to 330 benefitting about 2055 of them in the State, doubled financial assistance provision under Matri Shakti Bima Yojna to Rs. 50,000 for gravious injuries leading any person to get permanently impaired and Rs. 1.00 lakh in case of death; Rs. 25 crore for road improvement in district Kangra; Degree College Haripur in district Kangra to get staff very shortly, Civil Hospital Dehra upgraded to First Referral Unit; Rs. 40 lakh to check female forticide, opening up of National Highway Division at Dehra and further relaxation in the Town and Country Planning Act, 2009, allowing residents of various towns to construct their two and half storied houses 100 meters beyond proposed townships, national, state and regional highways and 50 meters beyond main and other district highways, without getting their housing plans approved by the Town and Country Planning Department at their own level. The decision aims at facilitating the bonafide residents of the state by keeping them out of the preview of the Town and Country Planning Act. He said that no permission would be required by general public in constructing their residential buildings, cow sheds, daily need shops, agriculture and horticulture related activities, service related industries i.e. flour mill, domestic industry, workshops, and miscellaneous local facilities etc. He announced enhancement in the milk procurement price by Rs. two per litre from March, 2009.

Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh has emerged a role model for rest of the country in many ways and other states were following the foot prints State had created for speedy development, environment protection, social welfare, education and health sectors etc. He said that over 80 percent of the poll promises made with the people had been fulfilled in a short span of one year only and many plans and programmes had been implemented over and above the Election Manifesto of the party, which had been adopted as Policy Document of the Government. He said that road length had touched over 40,000 kms. mark, every habitation provided with basic amenities like road, school, drinking water, health and irrigation etc. and life in the rural areas made comparatively comfortable. He said that four national highways had been got sanctioned for the state during his earlier term and two more had been got approved for the State more. He said that the State had raised the strengthening railway network issue with the Government of India besides expediting work on Nangal-Talwara, Chandigarh–Baddi, Bhanupalli-Beri railway lines besides constructing a railway line connecting national border at Leh with all weather railway line, which was strategically very important for the nation. He said that the State had attained the literacy percentage at over 85 percent and every child had the facility to avail of the educational facilities near to their homes, specialized medical services being delivered at reasonable distance while road, education, health, self-employment, self reliance and self respect had been adopted as the focal point of all the policies and programmes of the Government. He said that Rs. 80 crore Atal Bijli Bachat Yojna had emerged a role model for rest of the country to save power. He said that the State Government was providing four CFL bulbs to each of the 16 lakh domestic consumers of the state free of cost. He said that Rs. 141 crore were being spent over subsidized rations to the ration card holders of the state during current financial year alone.

Prof. Dhumal said that it was during earlier term of BJP Government in the State that Social Security Pension Scheme was introduced to help the most vulnerable section of old aged, widows and handicapped with some pensionary benefits. He said that that during his earlier term Rs. 100 per month Social Security Pension was enhanced to Rs. 200 and on returning to power on 30th of December, 2007 the same was enhanced further to Rs. 300 giving increase of 50 percent and now the same has further been increased by 10 percent from January this year benefitting about 2.38 lakh eligible sections of the society. He said that daily wages had been increased by 33 percent by enhancing the same from Rs. 75 to Rs. 100 from January, 2008 and the same had been declared as minimum wages to be paid by private parties and NREGA as well, thereby benefitting about 5 lakh families in the State. He said that the Government had decided to reserve one percent of the private projects costing above Rs. 10 lakhs for the welfare of the labour class. He said that employees and pensioners had been granted financial benefits worth about Rs. 1,400 crore during past one year, which signified the resolve of the State Government to maintain cordial relations with its employees and pensioners. He said that record 25 percent hike in the wages had been ensured by releasing them dearness allowance and interim relief instalments. He said that the State Government had reiterated the demand of one rank one pension with the Government of India vigorously to protect the interests of serving and ex-servicemen. He appealed to the people of the State to make Total Sanitation Programme a resounding success with people's participation while encouraging incentives were being made available to the active gram Panchayats and Mahila Mandals.

Chief Minister said that by increasing the budgetary provisions under Scheduled Caste Special Component Plan from existing 11 percent to 25 percent had increased the amount substantially from Rs. 231 crore for the year 2007-08 to Rs. 594 crore for current financial year, registering an increase of 157 percent to carry focused developmental activities in the Scheduled Caste concentrated villages. He said that historical decision had been taken to reserve 50 percent seats in Panchayati Raj Institutions for women providing them population proportionate representation in planning and development of their areas. He said that working women had been granted public holidays on Raksha Bandhan and Bhaiya Dooj while all women allowed to travel free in HRTC buses to any destination on both the festivals.

Prof. Dhumal said that with a view to strengthen the agriculture sector Rs. 353 Crore Pandit Deen Dayal Kisaan Baagwan Samridhi Yojna had been launched to construct 28,880 poly houses and construct equal number of mini and micro sprinkler and drip water efficient irrigation schemes, with 80 percent government subsidy and only 20 percent share of the beneficiary to revolutionize the farm sector with modern farming techniques. He said that procurement price of all the fruits had been increased to protect the interests of horticulturists. He added that Soil Health Card would be made available to all the farmers within five years out of which about one lakh had been delivered to the farmers during current financial year. He said that additionally the State Government had waived off the stamp duty on loan mortgage deed upto Rs. 10 lakh thereby granting financial relief of Rs. 35 crore to the farmers. He said that there were number of schemes envisioned for implementation for the benefit of agriculturists and horticulturists. He said that in view of the inculcation of the development of entrepreneurship amongst the educated youth of the State the government had waved off the upfront premium condition to them since Hydro Electric Projects upto 2 MW capacities had been reserved for them exclusively. He said that the State Government would be posing the next Annual Plan of the State of Rs. 2,700 crore which would be 12.5 percent increase compared to current Annual Plan.

Chief Minister said that it was for the first time in the history of the State that record number of International and National Level Institutions had been got sanctioned for the State, which included a Central University, National Institute of Fashion Technology and Disaster Management Battalion in District Kangra, IIT and ESI Medical College and Hospital in district Mandi, three IRBs which included one women IRB being set up in district Bilaspur, one ITBP Battalion being set up in district Una, Hotel Management Institute at Hamirpur and Food Craft Institute at Dharamshala, which would revolutionize the vocational education sector to make Himachal Pradesh an 'Educational Hub' in real terms. He said that additionally four medical colleges had been proposed to be opened in the private sector in different districts of the State beside 10 private universities.

Prof. Dhumal said that exploring employment and self employment possibilities in public and private sectors had been accorded top priority by the state government and about 26 thousands were being filled up in government sector during current financial year, out of which about 11,000

had already been filled up and process was nearing completion to achieve the target. He said that additionally over 25,000 daily wagers in different department had been made eligible to avail of pensionary benefits by regularizing them. He said that the state had raised impressively various issues of inter-state importance and got them all resolved with the neighbouring states. He said that the industrial area of Baddi would get connected with Chandigarh and Mohali with expressways in the near future.

Chief Minister honoured Ms. Pushpa daughter of Shri Salig Ram of village Nounghi, District Hamirpur for winning Gold Medal in Women Sports Festival; Ms. Sanjo Devi daughter of Shri Om Dhan of district Kullu, for winning Gold Medal in Jevlin Throw in National Women Sports Meet and Ms. Arju Kumari of village Dadahu in district Sirmour for winning Gold Medal in the 34th National Sports Meet held in Hamirpur recently with a shawl, Himachali Cap, citation certificate and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 each for their valuable contribution towards promotion of women participation in National Level Sports events. He also honoured Ms. Ankita daughter of Shri Ashok Kumar Jaswal of Government PG College, Dharamshala, who brought laurels to the State by winning Best Shooter title and Gold Medal in the SAARC Youth Exchange Programme organized in Sri Lanka last year.

A variety cultural programme was organized by the cultural troupes drawn from various districts of the State to mark the celebration of the 39th Statehood Day. Police Dog Squad gave an impressive exhibition of its skills.

Shri Ravinder Singh Ravi, IPH Minister, Shri Ramesh Dhwala, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister, Members of State Legislative Assembly, former MLAs, Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of various Boards and Corporations, freedom fighters, elected representatives of PRIs, gallantry award winners, senior serving and retired army and civil officers, leaders of various political parties, Smt. Asha Swaroop, Chief Secretary, Shri G. S. Gill, Director General of Police, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, Shri Diljeet Dogra, Secretary GAD, heads of departments, senior police officers, and other senior officers witnessed the celebration