In a public meeting at Nabha in Shimla, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said that State Government would be constructing 76 additional housing units in capital town, Shimla by spending Rs. 10 crore.
CM also dedicated newly constructed 52 housing units to the employees of the State posted in Shimla constructed at a cost of Rs. 4.90 crore, in Nabha. Chief Minister said that the budgetary provisions for providing housing facilities to the state employees had been doubled. He said that more housing units were being constructed for the employees to provide them quality living standards in the capital town which for being a prominent international tourist destination was comparatively costly. He said that with the provision of proper housing facilities employees would be able to lead reasonably comfortable life and perform their duties more efficiently. He said that interests of the employees had been on priority agenda of the State and efforts were being made to provide all basic facilities to them besides financial and other promotional benefits from time to time.
Prof. Dhumal said that on coming to power on December 31, 2007, first he addressed rally of State employees at HP Secretariat Complex and had announced public holidays to working women on Raksha Bandhan, Bhaiya Dooj and Karva Chouth festivals with free travelling facility in HRTC buses to every women on Raksha Bandhan and Bhaiya Dooj festivals. He said that the daily wages of the labourers was increased from Rs. 75 to Rs. 100 in one go. He said that the State Government had been resolving all genuine grievances of its employees with mutual consent thereby maintaining harmonious relations with them. He said that in return employees also bear the responsibility to re-dedicate themselves to the service of common man in the State and implement every policy and programme in letter and spirit so that it could reach the targeted group. He announced Rs.three lakh for construction of road to connect Nabha area with new ISBT and Rs. two lakh for improvement of the ground.
Earlier, Chief Minister performed foundation stone laying ceremony of five storied new building of Deen Dayal Upadhayaya Government Hospital, estimated to Cost Rs. 9.36 crore and carry indoor patient capacity of 300 with parking space for 70 vehicles. He reiterated the resolve of the State Government of strengthening the health network in the State and upgrade infrastructural facilities for the patients visiting health institutions. He announced upgradation of Civil Dispensaries at Jakhu, HP Secretariat, Himachal Pradesh High Court, Phagli, Kasumpti, Chhota Shimla, Sanjauli and Rampur to Primary Health Centre bringing them under the Rogi Kalyan Samities and making them eligible to draw an annual grant-in-aid of Rs. 1.75 lakh for maintenance. He said that with the upgradation of the civil dispensaries into PHCs better medical facilities would be eligible to the residents of the area.
Chief Minister also inaugurated the Blood Donatioin Camp organised by Kshitij, an NGO at Nabha. Suresh Bhardwaj, local MLA, thanked the Chief Minister for his sympathetic attitude towards the employees and providing them various facilities and benefits from time to time. He said that with the new housing units in Shimla town, more employees would be getting quality residential facilities which had been their pressing demand since times. He thanked the Chief Minister to enhance the capital allowance from Rs. 175 to Rs. 275 besides doubling the house rent allowance all over the State. He lauded the Lokyayukta Bill passed in the Budget Session of the Assembly which covered Chief Minister to Panchayat Ward Member under its umbrella. He lauded the initiatives taken by the State Government in eradication of corruption at all level through different legal provisions. He urged Chief Minister for connecting Nabha with ISBT through motorable road.
Narinder Bragta, Horticulture and Technical Education Minister, Dr. Rajiv Bindal, Health and Family Welfare Minister, Veena Thakur, Chairperson, HP State Social Welfare Board, Sher Singh Chauhan, Chairman HP State land Development Bank, Roopa Sharma, State Vice President, BJP Mahila Morcha, Madan Sharma, Vice President, District Shimla BJP, Rajesh Sharda, President, Shimla BJP Mandal, Susheel Tanwar, President, Ashadeep NGO, Jasvinder Singh, President, Gurudwara Singh Sabha, Rajesh Bhardwaj, President, Kshitij, prominent people of the town were present on the occasion.
