Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that new Inter-State Bus Stand (ISBT) would be constructed at Chamba and directed the administration to provide adequate land for the purpose to fulfill the long pending demand of people of the district. Chief Minister was speaking during the prize distribution function of Minjar Fair at Chowgan in Chamba district.
Chief Minister said that by constructing new ISBT better facilities would be made available to local people besides the people visiting from other parts of the State. He said that continuous bus service would also be made available in new ISBT adding that a taxi stand would also be constructed near to new ISBT to provide parking facilities for private vehicles. He directed the Deputy Commissioner to ensure the construction of government Degree College building in time bound manner and to provide additional land for extension of college campus.
He said that people of Chamba had preserved the rich traditions and cultural heritage and they deserve appreciation for it. He said that rich handicraft, Chamba Rumal and painting had a unique identity in the country and abroad. The State Government was committed for preservation of rich culture and art of the State, he added.
Chief Minister said that during his previous tenure Chamba witnessed its millennium celebrations which were a matter of pride for any city to complete its 1000 years of existence.
Virbhadra Singh said that Congress Governments had played a pivotal role in the development of the State since its inception and was committed for overall balanced development of the State. He said that social security pension had been enhanced to Rs. 500 from Rs. 450 benefiting widows; disabled and elderly aged people adding that approval to all the 10,370 pending cases of social security pension had been accorded. He said that the number of beneficiaries under the scheme had reached to 2,92,921 and the State Government had decided to reopen all the schools which were denotified by the previous Government besides free facility of travelling from home to school and vice versa to all the students of government schools from 1st April, 2013.
Chief Minister said that the State Government had decided to regularise the services of 2100 Para Teachers who had completed ten years of service and to take PTA provided teachers on contract after eight years of service thereby benefiting 6300 teachers. He said that the honorarium of 3500 Primary Assistant Teachers in Elementary Education Department had been enhanced to Rs. 8900 per month.
The Chief Minister also gave away prizes to the winners of exhibitions and games organised during the International Minjar Fair. Chief Minister also released the souvenir on the occasion.
Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister attended the cultural evening during the International Minjar Fair as Chief Guest last evening.
Earlier, Sandeep Kadam, Deputy Commissioner welcomed the Chief Minister and honoured him.
Thakur Singh Bharmouri, Forest Minister, Asha Kumari, MLA, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Chairman, State Pollution Control Board, Kewal Singh Pathania, Vice Chairman, Himachal Pradesh Forest Corporation, T.G. Negi, Advisor to Chief Minister, Jagat Ram, Superintendent of Police, senior officers of the State Government and prominent people of the town were present amongst others.
