Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said that the State Government would be constructing about 1,000 housing units for the Government employees in different parts of the State. He was addressing employees assembled at the venue of foundation stone laying ceremony of eight units of Type-I residential quarters in Ellerslie, campus here today. He said that added priority was being accorded to create quality infrastructure for residential purposes to facilitate employees perform their duties more conveniently. He said that 52 newly constructed housing units at Nabha would soon be dedicated to employees posted in Shimla while 16 additional units were under construction. He said that the State Government would be spending Rs. 11 crore over the same during current financial year as compared to Rs. 5.5 crore spent during preceding year.

Chief Minister said that the State Government was live to the problems of its employees and all their interests were protected. He said that the State Government had provided financial benefits worth over Rs. 8,100 crore to its employees by way of implementation of revised pay scales, payment of arrears and DA instalments to the employees and pensioners during preceding financial year. He said that Capital Allowance of employees posted in Shimla had been increased to Rs. 275. He said that similarly various other financial benefits were also provided to state employees by the State Government. He said that the State Government had maintained cordial relations with its employees and had been considerate towards their genuine grievances. Prof. Dhumal appealed to the employees to maintain best hygienic conditions around their residential colonies and ensure cleanliness in the vicinity.

Suresh Bhardwaj, local MLA, thanked Chief Minister for laying foundation of the new housing block for employees which had always been a pressing demand of the employees. He said that new housing blocks constructed at Nabha would soon be dedicated to the employees by the Chief Minister.

Veena Thakur, Chairperson, Social Welfare Board, Ganesh Datt, Vice Chairman, HIMUDA, Dr. Ashok Kapahtia, Vice Chairman, State Media Advisory Committee, Roopa Sharma, Vice President, State BJP, Rajesh Sharda, President, BJP Mandal, Shimla, Onkar Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, Jagat Ram, Superintendant of Police, N.L. Sharma, Engineer-in-Chief, PWD, Amarjeet Singh, Director of Estates, Gopal Sharma, Additional Secretary GAD, Sunder Lal, President, Ellerslie Housing Colony Association and other senior officers and prominent people of the area were present on the occasion.