Hamirpur---Himachal Pradesh today completes four decades of statehood and has entered into fifth. State-level Statehood Day function was organised at Hamirpur today to mark the occasion. Chief Minister Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal unfurled the National flag and took salute at an impressive march-past presented by the contingents of Police, Home Guards and NCC. Shri Parveen Dhiman, Deputy Superintendent of Police commanded the parade.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that Himachal Pradesh has made phenomenal progress in last 40 years and had emerged as pioneer in development not only for hill States but also other areas in the country. He said that it was a happy augury that it has been conferred Best Big State Award for overall good performances in development during last year by prestigious magazine after having conducted a nation wide survey about progress made by States and Union Territories in the recent past.
Tracing out the history of the State and various phases through which it had passed to attain the Statehood, Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that the State had made rapid strides and credit for this goes to the hard working and sincere people of the State besides the leadership which got the opportunity to serve the people.
Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal announced release of 10 percent dearness allowance (DA) to its employees and pensioners from first July, 2010. He said that employees will get enhanced DA in cash from January, 2011 and arrears on this account would be credited in GPF of concerned employees.
Chief Minister also announced setting up of most modern market yard in lower areas of Himachal Pradesh at a cost of Rs. 100 crore as being set up in Parala of Shimla district. This would benefit farmers and fruit growers of Kangra, Una, Hamirpur and Bilaspur districts at large.
Chief Minister, making comparison between 1971, when the State got the status of Statehood and 2010, said that the par capita income which was Rs. 651 in 1971 had gone upto Rs. 49211 in 2010, State Gross Domestic Product has increased from Rs. 223 crore to Rs. 42,278 crore and annual plan from Rs. 17 crore to Rs. 3000 crore. He said that the literacy percentage which was only 23 percent in 1971 had gone upto 84 percent in the year 2010 and State was poised to surpass Kerala in literacy percentage soon.
Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh was known as 'Apple State' of the country today and was poised to become 'Fruit Bowl' of the country. He said that there had been tremendous increase in production of apple and citrus fruits in the State. He said that production of fruits had increased from 1.78 lakh tonne in 1971 to 8 lakh tonne in 2010.
Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that present State Government after taking over the reins of the State on 30th December, 2007 had accelerated the pace of development and started various public welfare schemes so as to give new direction for development in the State. He said that its endeavour had been to speed up the development in those areas which had remained neglected so far and was ensuring that the benefits of policies and programmes of the Government percolated down to every section of the society.
Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that special emphasis had been given for women empowerment and Himachal Pradesh was one of the few States in the country which had reserved 50 percent seats for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and Local Bodies. He expressed happiness that 58 percent women had been elected to these institutions in recently concluded Panchayati Raj and Local Bodies elections. He narrated various schemes being implemented by the State Government for the benefit of women folk in the State.
Referring to the welfare of youth, Chief Minister said that as per poll promises, Government was filling up 50 percent professional and technical nature posts in the State on batchwise basis. He said that 4500 constables had been appointed in the Sate during last three years. He said that thousands of posts had been filled up in other Government departments during last three years besides employment also being ensured to the youth in private, joint and other organised sectors in the State.
Reiterating his Government resolve to improve the rural economy, Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that Rs. 353 crore Pandit Deen Dayal Kisan Baagwan Samridhi Yojna had been started in the State for the benefit of farmers under which 80 percent subsidy was being given to them for construction of polyhouses and micro irrigation schemes. He said that BPL families were being given subsidy of 90 percent for construction of bamboo based polyhouses. He said that against the target of 16500 polyhouses to be constructed under the scheme, 6000 had been constructed during last two years in the State. He said that 45,000 persons would get employment through this scheme in the State.
Organic Farming Project
Chief Minister announced setting up of headquarters of Organic Farming Project at Hamirpur being started through assistance of Japan International Cooperation Agency in the State for promotion of organic farming and diversification of farming.
He said that to supplement the income of farmers and other people in rural areas, Rs. 300 crore Doodh Ganga Yojna was being implemented. Beneficiaries were being given loan upto Rs. 15 lakh for milk production and related activities. He said that Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes were being given subsidy of 33 percent and other categories 25 percent under the scheme.
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Chief Minister said that efforts were afoot to boost up the horticultural production in the State and added that support price was being given to apple and citrus fruits so as to ensure remunerative prices to the growers. He said that apple, mango, ginger, tomato and potato had been brought under weather based insurance scheme to save farmers from financial hardship in the event of natural calamities.
Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that keeping in view the importance of Animal Husbandry in the economy of farmers, this sector had also been given priority. He said that 1272 new veterinary institutions would be opened in the State under 'Mukhyamantri Arogya Pashudhan Yojna so as to ensure atleast one veterinary institution in every panchayat in the State. He said that 187 veterinary institutions had been opened during current financial year and remaining would be opened in next two years.
He said that for the benefit of shepherds, 'Bhed Palak Samridhi Yojna' had been started under which loan upto Rs. one lakh was being provided for purchase of sheep and rams.
Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that socio-economic upliftment of poor and other weaker sections of the society was also on priority of the State Government. He said that to solve the housing problem of houseless, 22719 houses had been constructed under 'Atal Awas Yojna' and 'Indira Awas Yojna' during last three years. He said that to ensure that poor persons do not face any difficult in medical treatment National Health Insurance Scheme was being implemented in right perspective under which Rs. 30,000 was being given for treatment. In case of serious illness, a sum of Rs. 1.75 lakh was being given to poor patients. He said that Himachal Pradesh had been adjudged the best State for registration of maximum BPL families under this scheme in the country.
Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh had also been adjudged Best State in the implementation of 20-Point Programme which reflected the commitment of Government for speedy upliftment of poor and down-trodden people in the State. He said that to benefit maximum Scheduled Castes in the State, allocation under SC Sub Plan had been increased from 11 percent of total plan to 25 percent.
Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that education, health and road had been given top priority as all these three sectors concern the commonman. He said that efforts to make Himachal Pradesh an educational hub in the country. He said that to achieve this, a number of educational institutions were being opened. He said that one Technical University, one Degree College, one Engineering College, 43 Senior Secondary Schools, 58 High Schools, 62 Middle and 33 Primary Schools had been opened in the Government sector alone during last three years. He said that besides Central University, National Institute of Fashion Technology and Food Crafts Institute had been established in Kangra district, Technical University and Hotel Management Institute in Hamirpur district, IIT and ESI Medical College and Hospital in Mandi
district. He said that Atal Shiksha Kunj had been set up at Kalu Jhanda in Baddi Barotiwala area of Solan district. Three more medical colleges are proposed to be opened, one each in Hamirpur, Una and Sirmaur district. He said that Hydro Engineering College was being opened in Bilaspur district and one Engineering College at Pragatinagar in Shimla district. He said that ten private Universities had been opened in the State during last three years besides a number of professional and technical educational institutions. Our endeavour was to ensure that youth of the State could get higher technical and professional education nearer to their homes. He said that seats were being reserved for the students of Himachal Pradesh in educational institutions being opened in private sector.
Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that Government was committed to ensure better medical care facilities to the people at their door steps and added that 600 MBBS, 85 Ayurvedic doctors and hundreds of nurses and paramedical staff had been appointed during last three years and posted in far flung areas of the State so that people could get facility of medical treatment in these areas.
Chief Minister said that 38 medicines were being provided free of cost to BPL families in all OPDs in the State. He said that 'Atal Swasthya Sewa' had been started from 25th December last in seven districts of the State and three more districts would be covered by 31st March, 2011. He said that ambulance service was being provided free of cost within 35 minutes in case of emergency.
Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that free institutional deliveries were being done in 100 hospitals in the State. He said that Chief Minister School Health Programme had been started for medical check up of the students free of cost. He said that for senior citizens denture were being provided free of cost under 'Muskan' scheme launched last year.
Chief Minister said that roads were life lines of the people in the State keeping in view geo-graphical conditions. He said that the Government had formulated a plan to connect every village having population of 250 and above by year 2012. He said that 900 villages had been connected by road during last three ears. He said that 2700 new roads had been constructed during the period.
Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that social security sector had also been accorded priority to give human face to the developmental efforts of the Government and added that 34 percent of the plan outlay was being spent on this vital sector. He said that 50 percent increase had been made under social security pension and 67563 new eligible persons had been sanctioned this pension. He said that Rs. 105 crore was being spent on providing social security pension to over 2,67,000 persons in the State. He said that daily wage of the workers had also been increased from Rs. 75 to Rs. 120 thereby benefitting each daily waged worker by Rs. 16,245 annually.
Chief Minister said that subsidized ration was also being made available to the people in the State and BPL families were getting this at much cheaper rates.
Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that with a view to making Himachal Pradesh a prosperous State in the country, available natural resources were being exploited speedily. He said that Himachal Pradesh had immense hydel, industrial and tourism potential which were being harnessed so as to ensure income to the State and employment to local people. He said that a plan had been made to harness 17000 MW of electricity by 2017. He said that 2806 new industrial units had been set up in the State in which 38,000 persons had got employment besides approval for setting up 3334 new industrial units had been given in which investment of Rs. 13000 crore would be made and employment to 1,27,000 persons would be generated. He said that tourism was another sector which had great potential for generating income and employment to the people. He said that emphasis had been laid for rural tourism and a number of schemes like 'Home Stay Scheme',' Ghar-Ghar Ki Kahani' and Har Gaon Kuchh Kahata Hai' had been started. He said that heli taxi service was being started and ropeways being constructed so as to provide added attraction to the tourists.
Four Decade celebrations
Chief Minister announced that celebrations would be organised throughout the year during this year to mark the four decades of Statehood so as to enlighten people about the progress that State had made in last 40 years.
He said that a function would be organised in each district of the State covering one district in a month for this celebration.
He further announced that Information and Public Relations Department would highlight the development through different media throughout the year.
Rs. 3.68 crore announced for stadia
Chief Minister announced Rs. 1.18 crore for construction of stadium in Government Boys Senior Secondary School at Hamiprur, Rs. 50 lakh for Synthetic track at Hamirpur, Rs. 50 lakh for synthetic track at Dharamsala, Rs. 35 lakh for stadium at Jainsinghpur, Rs. 25 lakh for stadium at Rohru, Rs. 27 lakh for Bajir Ram Singh Pathania stadium at Kangra, Rs. 27 lakh for Badminton stadium at Shimla, Mandi and Bilaspur, Rs. 14.50 lakh for Gumma Cricket Stadium , Rs. 15.5 lakh for Gharnota stadium in Chamba district, Rs. 10 lakh each for stadium at Nirmand and Indoor stadium in Shimla and Rs. 6 lakh for Indoor stadium Dharamsala.
Shri I.D. Dhiman, Education Minister, Shri Ravinder Singh Ravi, Irrigation and Public Health Minister, Shri Rikhi Ram Kaundal, Deputy Speaker, H.P. Vidhan Sabha, Shri Satpal Satti, Shri Virender Singh, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries, MLAs, Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of various Boards and Corporations, Smt. Rajwant Sandhu, Chief Secretary, Dr. D.S. Manhas, Director General of Police, ex-servicemen, freedom fighters, senior officers and PRIs functionaries were persent on the occasion among others.
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