Shimla: Newly elected Mandi MP Pratibha Singh said that she would raise problems of Mandi parliamentary constituency before the central government.
During the election campaign, people have demanded the construction of the Pangi in Chamba and Bhu-Bhujot tunnel in Kullu and the issue of both the tunnels will be taken up with the central government prominently.
Talking to reporters in Shimla on Friday, Pratibha Singh said that the Rohtang Tunnel is the UPA government’s gift to the state.
AICC president Sonia Gandhi had laid the foundation of the tunnel and made a budget provision for it.
” It is unfortunate that the BJP government removed the foundation stone laying plaque of Sonia Gandhi at the time of the inauguration of the tunnel by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
She said that there is a need for a similar tunnel in Pangi, a remote area of Chamba and the Pangi residents had raised the demand during my campaign in the area and a blueprint of this tunnel will be prepared and sent to the central government.
Similarly, the demand for Bhu-Bhu Jot and Jalori tunnel will also be raised with the Centre.
“BJP has harped about building 69 National Highways in the state, but till date, the government has not even been able to prepare their DPRs. We will press for expediting the same and to build a national highway in Mandi parliamentary,” she added.
Pratibha Singh said that the issues of old pension restoration and One Rank One Pension will also be strongly placed before the Center.
Speaking about the project of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur for the construction of an international airport in Mandi district, Pratibha Singh said that the double engine government has not been able to do anything on this issue.
“Most of the people are against the airport and their is fear of losing fertile land. Efforts will be put in to rethink about this project and look for alternative land for the project,” she said.
Expansion of Kullu Airport which is important from the point of view of tourism and providing Nautor land to the people of tribal areas are among her other priorities.
She said that the four-lane affected people in Mandi parliamentary constituency have not been given proper compensation and she would take this issue.
On the reduction in the prices of petrol and diesel by the central government, Pratibha Singh said that inflation has made life difficult for the people and people have expressed their anger in the by-elections.
The public would get further relief when the government would make LPG cylinders and food grains cheaper.
Responding to a question, Pratibha Singh said that although Virbhadra Singh’s absence was felt, however voters have voted in favour of Congress by stamping on the development works done by him.
“Victory in the Himachal by-elections has boosted the morale of the Congress workers across the country. In the by-election, BJP had made propaganda a weapon. Voters taught a lesson to those who did politics of caste, religion and regionalism,” she said.
On being elected as MP, Pratibha Singh while expressing gratitude to the people of Mandi parliamentary constituency said that soon she would open her office in Mandi district so that people there would not need to come to Shimla to meet her relating to their work and demands, instead she would visit them.
