Shimla, February 14
Addressing a large public gathering in Sarahan, Pachhad Assembly Constituency of Sirmaur district, the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu emphasized the State government’s efforts to strengthen the rural economy. He said that the state government is providing support price for milk and soon minimum support price will be given on ginger also. He said that within a year, the Sarahan hospital will have specialist doctors and ultrasound machine. He announced opening of a CBSE school in Sarahan and double-laning of the Sarahan-Chandigarh road. He also promised to fulfill all the demands of local Congress leader Dayal Pyari and former Assembly Speaker Gangu Ram Musafir.
Remembering the State’s first Chief Minister Dr. YS Parmar, the Chief Minister said that he enacted Section 118 of the law to protect the interests of the people of Himachal Pradesh and the current State government is following his footsteps. He said that the state had been receiving the RDG since Dr. Parmar’s time, but the 16th Finance Commission took away this 77 year old right. RDG belongs to the people of Himachal, not the government. He said that the this government is fighting for the rights of the State. At the request of BJP leaders, the venue of the all-party meeting was changed, but the BJP did not stand up for Himachal’s interests, while all other parties supported the state government on RDG issue.
Sukhu said, “In the meeting, I asked whether BJP leaders were in favour of Himachal Pradesh receiving the RDG, but they did not say a word. BJP leaders should clarify their stand on the Rs 10,000 crore cut before the people of the state. He said that the people of Himachal Pradesh are not asking for alms, this is Himachal Pradesh’s right. He said that the state government will continue to fight for its rights and the support of the people is essential for this purpose. Challenging BJP leaders, he asked them to get the RDG reinstated by the Prime Minister.
Sukhu said that the previous BJP government received an additional amount of Rs. 70,000 crore in five years, but they did not utilize the funds wisely. Had the BJP government utilized this money wisely, the state would not have a debt of Rs. 76,000 crore and liabilities of Rs. 10,000 crore. He alleged that the previous government built buildings worth Rs. 1,000 crore solely to appease its friends, while the current state government is working day and night to make Himachal Pradesh self-reliant.
CM said, “No matter what, I have the ability to face and overcome challenges.” He added that the state government changed the law to help disaster-affected people, increasing the financial assistance of Rs. 1.5 lakh for a house that was completely damaged to Rs. 8 lakh. He said that the people of Himachal are patriots and youth serve the country by joining the army. But the youth of Himachal have been betrayed by the implementation of the Agniveer scheme. Not only did the central government change the name of MNREGA, it also killed the very spirit of the scheme, which was the result of the vision of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Sukhu said that the state government launched its first scheme for the children who had no one of their own. They used to receive only sympathy, but the state government enacted a law and adopted 6,000 orphans as “Children of the State” and takes care for them until the age of 27. Now, the state government has also decided to provide financial assistance to children of widowed women for education outside the State. He said, “Feeling the pain of the poor, feeling the pain of the youth, is the core of real Vyavstha Parivartan.” He said that the former BJP government sold land worth Rs. 5,000 crore in Baddi-Nalagarh at a throwaway price. Furthermore, before the elections, the former BJP government distributed freebies worth Rs. 5,000 crore just to win elections. The Chief Minister said that pressure is being exerted to discontinue the OPS, but we will not bow down.
