Dhumal in Dharmshala

By Bijender Sharma

DHARMSHALA 27 Febuary----Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, said that the state would be extending all possible help to any non-government organization (NGO) shouldering the responsibility of education of the mentally challenged children in the state. He was talking to a delegation of parents and guardians of the mentally challenged children which called on him at Dharamshala today.Chief Minister said that government was paying added attention towards the mentally challenged development and the department of Social Justice and Empowerment coordinating all such activities. He said that mentally children were the joint responsibility of the society and every able bodied person needed to lend their cooperation in helping such children grow like any other normal children. He said that such children needed to be provided every opportunity to move ahead in their lives so that they could be self reliant in one way or the other. He said that such children should not be treated with pity but encouraged to take up challenges boldly so that they gain confidence to managing their affairs independently.Prof. Dhumal said that the state government was providing financial assistance to the NGOs engaged in educating the mentally challenged children besides alloting them land on lease basis. He said that he had started his present tenure by visiting the school for mentally challenged children and sharing their creativities on the very first day he took over as the Chief Minister of the state. He said that such children had vast potential which needed to be polished and exploited for their betterment keeping in view of the capacity of each child to take over the activity one was capable to hold. He said that there was no compulsion of educating such children the way other normal children were being educated but the educational activities were being undertaken by specially trained teachers keeping in view the convenience of the child. He said that no syllabus was being forced upon them and written examinations held, however they were being motivated to take out their creativities in painting, playing, writing and other activities. Chief Minister said that recently National Winter Games were organized for the Special Children in the State wherein large number of such children participated from all over the country. He said that similarly a team of Special Children visited China to participate in the Special Olympics which not only exposed them to the outside world but inculcated a spirit of confidence to move ahead in their lives. He said that such activities needed to be encouraged for the over all development of the children. He assured the delegation that state government would shoulder its responsibility towards such children more dedicatedly in association with the NGOs working for their cause. He directed the Social Justice and Empowerment Department to monitor the activities of all the NGO’s operated educational institutions and ensure that the children were benefitted with the various government schemes.

The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet in its meeting held at Dharamshala today decided to constitute a Cabinet Sub Committee headed by Shri Gulab Singh Thakur, PWD and Revenue Minister, with Shri J.P.Nadda, Forest Minister and Shri I.D.Dhiman, Education Minister as its members to give its recommendations on New Transfer Policy of the state government after studying the reports of the earlier Cabinet Sub Committees headed by late Shri Kishori Lal Vaidya and Shri Kaul Singh Thakur Committees.Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, presided over the meeting.Cabinet decided to withdraw all cases against political workers belonging to all the political parties and students belonging to any organisation, where there was no violence and damage to the property all over the state.Cabinet had detailed discussions over the Budget Proposals for the next financial year 2008-09 and other papers proposed to be laid down in the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha in coming Budget Session of the same.It also approved the Report of the Third Finance Commission and Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, was presented drafts worth Rs. 5,27,251 as contribution towards Chief Minister’s Relief Fund by different organizations and individuals at Dharamshala today and included Rs. 5.00 lakh by Shri A.K.Garg, Chairman and Shri A.K.Goel, Managing Director of Aleo Manali Hydropower Private Limited; Rs. 11,200 by Shri Des Raj Bagi, Chairman, Zila Parishad, Kangra; Rs. 11,000 by President of the IPH, JE’s Association, Dehra; Rs. 3,051 by the Principal and Staff of the Government Senior Secondary School, Nagrota Surian and Rs. 2000 by Shri M.C.Rana, retired HAS officer.Chief Minister thanked the contributors for their generous attitude towards the poor and needy people of the state. He said that it was a pious service towards the suffering and underprivileged people who had no sources of income. He said that the funds received under the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund were being utilized by delivering deserving sections relief in the hour of distress besides providing them financial assistance for their various ailments, it was also being utilized in emergent circumstances like natural calamity etc.. He said that the donations were fully exempted under income tax provisions. He gave a clarion call to the people to contribute some money out of their hard income to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund so that the suffering humanity was delivered some financial help for their medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, said that the state government would explore the possibilities of completing the ambitious Swami Vivekanand Medical Research Trust (VMRT), Palampur in joint venture and make the same functional to deliver people specialized medical services and research facilities in different disciplines. He was addressing the State Level Meeting of the Indian Medical Association, Himachal Pradesh Chapter, members at Dharamshala last evening.Chief Minister said that the state government had provided land to the Trust to construct and make functional the medical college and research centre at token lease money. He said that the Centre had already started treating patients through naturopathy and other ancient system of medicine which was benefitting large number of people visiting the Centre from within and outside the country. He said that efforts would be made to rope in some reputed medical education and health services company to enter into joint operation of the Centre so that it could emerge one of the best diagnostic and treatment centre in the state. He said that best efforts were being made to realize the dream of former Prime Minister, Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee, who had made Himachal Pradesh as his home, to make the state a centre of quality health infrastructure and educational hub keeping in view the most precious natural healthy and pollution free environment of the state. He said that IGMC in Shimla was already rendering specialized medical services to the people while Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Kangra at Tanda, was nearing completion and would be in a position to cater to quality health services of the people.Prof. Dhumal said that the state government would be considering disqualification of the doctors involved in illegal sex determination tests and withdraw their professional degrees as a punishment. He said that the government was concerned over the decreasing female population ratio in the state which was bound to affect the social system and coming generation. He said that although strict vigil was being maintained over the private clinics carrying illegal pre natal tests and regular reports were being summoned from the registered centres to keep track of all such cases taking place all over the state. He said that flying squads were also raiding clinics carrying such tests all over the state and sealed the same besides dealing with them as per the legal provisions.Chief Minister emphasized the need to create social awareness amongst the masses about the drastic affects of the disproportionate sex ratio and the sin people were committing by getting their female fetus aborted. He called it a crime against humanity and especially women. He said that stringent legal provisions were in vogue to curb such practices by imposing fine and imprisonment over the people involved in such unlawful activities. He said that no endeavour of the state would achieve its objective unless society did not come forward with its active involvement in making the same successful. He urged the people and NGOs to bring all such cases to the notice of the state government so that strict action was taken against errant people.Prof. Dhumal said that best efforts would be made involve the big and marginal investors in sharing the social responsibility of the state. He said that people of the state had been providing their land and resources to pave the way for industrial and hydro power generation projects and deserved fair treatment at the hands of the investors. He said that state government would be approaching the private players to come forward in adopting educational, health and other public service oriented institutions in their operational areas for its effective functioning so that people residing in the area were benefitted with the services. He said that although legal provisions had been made for spending certain share of the project over local area development but it would be appreciated if the private entrepreneurs come forward with concrete proposals to carry social responsibilities voluntarily.Chief Minister said that state would be exploring the possibilities of encouraging public-private participation in opening quality medical, engineering and information technology institutions in different disciplines all over the state to make Himachal a hub of vocational education matching the global standards. He said that large investments were likely to be attracted in the education field from globally reputed companies where state would act as facilitator. He said that Himachal Pradesh had emerged the first state in the country which opened the First IT University in the country during the earlier tenure of the government. He said that the state offers best environment for the IT and BT education which would be exploited with ecological safeguards for the benefit of the people and the state. He said that in coming years people from all over the world would be attracted to study in Himachal Pradesh.Prof. Dhumal appreciated the contribution of the Indian Medical Association in implementation of the health oriented policies and programmes of the government. He said that effective implementation of all the programmes with its association would help in making every Himachali hale and hearty. He assured all possible help from the government for effective functioning of the organization.Dr. S.P. Khera, President of Himachal Chapter of the Indian Medical Association, welcomed the Chief Minister, and detailed the activities of the organization and its contribution in implementation of various central and state sponsored health programmes.Dr. Atul Mahajan, General Secretary of the organization presented power point report over the activities and future planning of the organization.Shri Gulab Singh Thakur, PWD and Revenue Minister, Shri Ravinder Ravi, IPH Minister, Shri Kishan Kapoor, Transport Minister, Smt. Sarveen Chaudhary, Social Justice and Empowerment Minster, Shri Hari Narayan Singh Saini and Shri Gobind Thakur, MLAs, Shri Bhim Sen, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Shri K.K.Pant, Deputy Commissioner, Shri Atul Fulzele, other senior officers and members of the Indian Medical Association were present.