Shimla: To mark the completion of the four-year term of the BJP-rule in the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the grand event being organized at Paddal Maidan in Mandi district on December 27.

Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various projects to the tune of Rs 11,279 crore.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur informing the media in a press conference held in Shimla on Tuesday, said that it would be the first time in the history of Himachal that the inauguration and foundation stone of big projects would be held simultaneously.

“The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of 210 MW Luhri Phase-I and 66 MW Dhaulasiddha project during Mandi stay. He will also inaugurate the 111 MW Sabra project. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of Renuka Dam to be built at a cost of Rs 6700 crore,” he said.

Many states including Delhi and Himachal will benefit from this dam, he added.

A groundbreaking ceremony of projects of Rs 20 thousand crores will also be inaugurated by the Prime Minister during his visit.

Thakur said that this would be the third time during the tenure of the incumbent BJP government that the Prime Minister would visit Himachal.

“Earlier, on the completion of the first year of the state government, the Prime Minister had attended the function organized at Dharamsala. Last year, Narendra Modi had come to Himachal to inaugurate the Atal Tunnel Rohtang,” said Thakur.

The BJP government is now going to enter the election year and next year the Prime Minister will make several visits to Himachal, he informed.

“The Prime Minister will visit Bilaspur on the occasion of the inauguration of AIIMS within the next three-four months. Apart from this, the Prime Minister has been invited to visit the state for the inauguration of four-lane projects,” said Thakur.

He said that in the last four years his government has made every effort to speed up the development of the state.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the pace of development had not been stalled and development works worth crores are going on in every assembly constituency, he claimed, adding that his government was working for the common and poor people with the spirit of public service and dedication.

“In the last four years, the government has set new dimensions of development in different areas. Work was done in the direction of taking forward the culture and tradition of ‘Devbhoomi” by eliminating the feeling of political rivalry and regionalism,” said Thakur.

Responding to a question, the Chief Minister said that social welfare had been the major thrust of his government.

“Our government stood with the poor. Many social schemes were run for the welfare of the poor people. Among them Himcare, Sahara Yojna, Grihini Suvidha Yojna and Shagun Yojana were the prominent schemes,” said Thakur.