Shimla, May 15
In just three and a half years of its tenure, the state government has fulfilled all its election guarantees and honoured the promises made to the people of the state. In the first Cabinet meeting, the government restored the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for 1.36 lakh employees, thereby fulfilling the Congress party’s first guarantee. Retired employees under the National Pension System (NPS), who earlier received mere Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3,000 per month as pension under the provisions of NPS, are now receiving between Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 40,000 under the OPS, ensuring financial security and dignified life for them and their families.
Fulfilling its second major guarantee, the government is providing Rs. 1,500 per month to the eligible women under its flagship Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh-Samman Nidhi Yojana. In the first phase of the scheme, Rs. 29.12 crore was disbursed as honorarium to 35,687 women across the state. In the second phase, one lakh women from extremely poor families are set to receive a monthly pension of Rs. 1,500.
To encourage self-employment among youth, the state launched the Rajiv Gandhi Swarozgar Start-up Scheme with an outlay of Rs. 680 crore. Under the Rajiv Gandhi e-Taxi Scheme, youth are being given a 50 percent subsidy to purchase taxis. Furthermore, for installing solar panels ranging from 100 kilowatts to 2 megawatts on private land, an interest subsidy of 5 percent is being provided in tribal areas and 4 percent in non-tribal areas. To promote natural farming, the Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Start-up Scheme has been implemented. From the current fiscal, the MSP for naturally grown wheat has been increased from Rs. 60 to Rs. 80 per kilogram, maize from Rs. 40 to Rs. 50, and barley from the Pangi Valley from Rs. 60 to Rs. 80 per kilogram. In addition, the MSP for naturally grown turmeric has been raised from Rs. 90 to Rs. 150 per kilogram, and for the first time, ginger has been given an MSP of Rs. 30 per kilogram.
Fulfilling yet another guarantee, the government has introduced English medium education from Class 1 in all government schools. Rajiv Gandhi Day-Boarding Schools are being opened in a phased manner in every Assembly constituency. Approval has been granted for the construction of day-boarding schools in 42 constituencies, and construction work is underway for 10 schools.
To strengthen the rural economy, the state government has taken several important steps. The support price for cow milk has been increased from Rs. 32 to Rs. 61 per litre, while buffalo milk prices have been raised from Rs. 47 to Rs. 71 per litre. Moreover, fulfilling another guarantee, the government is purchasing organic manure and vermi compost from livestock owners at Rs. 300 per quintal.
Keeping its promise of providing employment, the government has given jobs to more than 23,200 youth in the government sector alone over the past three years. Recruitment is underway for thousands of vacant posts, including 9,535 teaching positions. In the private sector, 51,400 youth have also been provided employment opportunities. To promote self-employment, 82,515 new beneficiaries have been added under the Skill Development Allowance Scheme and the Industrial Skill Allowance Scheme. One lakh youth have been provided livelihood counseling and guidance. The government also organized 14 job fairs and more than 1,100 campus interviews, creating private-sector employment opportunities for over 18,000 youth.
The government has ensured that orchardists have the right to determine the prices of their produce, helping them secure better returns. The implementation of the Universal Carton System has further increased the income of orchardists. Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to implement a Horticulture Policy, and under the Market Intervention Scheme, support prices for apples, kinnow, malta, oranges and galgal have been increased by 25 percent.
Taking historic steps in the healthcare sector, the state has introduced robotic surgery facilities for the first time, along with modern equipment such as PET Scan, 3 Tesla MRI and CT Scan machines, ensuring affordable and accessible treatment within the state itself.
Under the ‘Apna Parivar-Sukhi Parivar’ scheme, the state government has decided to provide 300 units of free electricity per month to extremely poor families, with nearly one lakh families are expected to benefit from this ambitious welfare initiative.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated that the government has not only fulfilled all its election promises but has also gone beyond by introducing a series of people centric welfare schemes aimed at empowering every section of society. He said that the government remains committed to strengthen the rural economy, uplifting marginalized communities and ensuring inclusive and sustainable development across the state.
