‘Atal School Uniform scheme’ would be launched in the State in Government Schools from 9th May, 2012 so as to bring uniformity amongst all the students in the schools which would also go a long way in instilling confidence amongst the students whose parents otherwise find difficulty to arrange for uniforms. This was stated by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, while addressing an public meeting at Gubbar in district Hamirpur today after dedicating the newly constructed Ayurvedic Health Centre at Kakkar, to the people of the area and also participated in ‘pooja pratishtha’ to open the newly constructed Trilokinath Temple complex at Gubbar to the devotees.

Chief Minister said that the State Government had launched Atal Adarsh Gram Panchayat Yojna to give cash reward for developmental activities to the best gram panchayats at State, District and Sub-Division level. He said that majority of state schemes were being implemented through gram panchayats and made an appeal to the people of the area to take benefits of all such schemes in their socio-economic upliftment.

Prof. Dhumal said that school uniform would be provided twice in a year to all the students, first at the time of admission and second in the month of October every academic session. This would benefit 10.5 lakh students studying from first to matric standard. He said that second phase of ‘Mukhya Mantri Vidyarthi Swasthya Karyakram’ had been launched to medically examine every student and also provide them de-worming pills. He said that 72 dental medical officers had been recruited to check dental health of the students as well. He said that additionally every senior citizen of the BPL family was also being provided free denture under Muskan Yojna.

Chief Minister said that there was necessity to create awareness amongst the masses, especially the women folk, about checking female foeticide. He said that any person giving information with regard to pre-natal tests would also be rewarded suitably. He said that State was committed to women empowerment and providing them free educational facilities upto highest standard. He said that 75 connections of LPG would be provided in each of the assembly segment of the State at 50 percent subsidy under ‘Mata Shabri Mahila Shashaktikaran Yojna’ to the women of BPL SC families in the State. He detailed other programmes being implemented by the State Government towards women empowerment. He said that disabled of above 70 percent disability had also been included in the Social Security Pension Scheme besides increasing the pension to senior citizens of 80 and above years of age to Rs. 600 per month.

Dhumal said that every family had been benefited with the visionary and people welfare oriented schemes implemented in the State during past four years. He said that the State Government was spending Rs. 150 crore over providing every ration card holder, irrespective of their economic and social status, six items of essential commodities on subsidized rates. He said that domestic power was also available to every consumer on subsidized rates. He said that Atal Swasthya Sewa had proved to be a boon to the rural masses in transporting patients from their homes to the nearest health institute free of cost. He said that free institutional delivery was also available to pregnant women with free medicine, ambulance service and related medical tests. He said that one year free health care facility was also available to the pregnant women who had delivered child in the state owned health institution.

Chief Minister said that it was during BJP Government from 1998 to 2003, that Sandhol area was connected with nine motorable bridges to provide all weather connectivity to the people of the area. He said that Rs. 70 crore infrastructure was being created to house the Jangal Beri IRB in the area. He said that 7500 new water connections had been sanctioned to the local residents, Rs. 1.53 crore were being spent over uninterrupted power supply from Rakkar Sub-Station while old wooden poles were being replaced with steel poles. He said that over Rs. 26 crore were being spent on various link roads and buildings in Kakkar-Uhl area. He said that Rs. 1.72 crore had been spent over connecting Chhamb village with Kakkar with motorable road while Rs. 4 crore were being spent over upgradation of Uhl-Jangal Beri road. He announced funds for construction of various link roads and Mahila Mandal Bhawans in the area. He sanctioned Rs.20 lakh for construction of Bherda-Tholu road. He also promised of restoration of various HRTC bus services in the area.

Prof. Dhumal appealed to the people to uphold the rich Indian tradition of extending respect and care to their elders and serve dedicatedly their parents. He said that services rendered to the old parents, poor and needy would go a long way in achieving salvation in their life.

Prof. Dhumal thanked Bhim Singh Rana for his generous contribution towards the devotional and developmental needs of local people, who despite the fact that he was staying away due to business interests from his native place in Orissa and for lending his support to the natives. Later Chief Minister also flagged off HRTC bus service from Gubbar to Chhamb (Hamirpur).

Rasil Singh Mankotia, Chairman, Kangra Central Cooperative Bank, thanked Chief Minister, for waiving off VAT on sacred idols being brought to the State from other States. He lauded women empowerment schemes of the State, which included 50 percent reservation in Panchayati Raj and 33 percent in cooperative societies.

Rajender Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Kuldeep Sharma, Superintendent of Police, B.T.Negi, Chief Engineer, PWD, other senior officers and prominent people of the area were present on the occasion.