Accuses BJP of giving away 5,000 Bighas of land for just Rs. 1.12 crore

Says BJP’s social media cell targeting him for curbing corruption
 

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced opening of a PWD Division in the Doon Assembly constituency of Solan district. He also announced the up-gradation of Baddi Civil Hospital to 100-bedded and Rs. 25 crore for construction of the SDM office and Rs. 10 crore for construction of a sports stadium.

He said that facilities in Baddi must match the growing population adding that a modern bus stand would be constructed at Baddi for which adequate funds would be provided. He announced that the Baddi, Barotiwala and Chandi schools would have CBSE curriculum from the next academic session.

The Chief Minister while addressing a huge gathering at Baddi made a scathing attack on the previous BJP government for turning a blind eye on corruption. He alleged that the BJP government gave away 5,000 bighas of land worth hundreds of crores to big industrial houses for just Rs. 1.12 crore, under the guise of customized packages. The stamp duty was waived and provisions were made to supply electricity at Rs. 3 per unit for five years and even free water. “As long as I am the Chief Minister, I will not allow the State’s assets to be plundered. We are custodians of Himachal Pradesh’s resources,” he asserted.

He added that the State Government was safeguarding the interests of Himachal and that's why we returned Rs. 30 crore received from the Centre for the bulk drug park and decided to develop it on our own. “The BJP’s social media cell is targeting me because I took stringent measures to curb corruption and ensured that the widows, orphans, women, labourers and farmers get their rights,” he added.  The previous BJP government left behind a debt of Rs. 75,000 crore and liabilities of Rs 10,000 crore pertaining to employees. For electoral gains, the previous government  opened various institutions in the last six months of their tenure without proper budgetary provisions and staff, he added.

The Chief Minister said local MLA Chaudhary Ram Kumar was always concerned about the development of the Doon constituency and works tirelessly to address concerns of the people irrespective political affiliations.

Highlighting the reforms undertaken by the present state government, he said that by bringing reforms in the education sector, the State stands 5^th from 21^st rank. We have started English-medium from 1^st class and merged the school directorates and from the next academic session, 100 CBSE schools would be opened in the State.

Sh. Sukhu said the health had also been strengthened and we have ensures to equip the health institutions with advanced technology and modern equipments and have allocated Rs. 3,000 crore for the sector.

Despite several challenges, Himachal Pradesh is steadily moving towards self-reliance. He said that the government was going to make large-scale recruitments in government departments. During the previous BJP tenure, recruitment papers were leaked. We disbanded the Commission, because we believe in transparency and merit-based recruitments.

The Chief Minister said the State Government was extending helping hand to the disaster-affected families. I have personally visited every disaster-hit area and issued special relief packages to the affected families. The Government changed the relief manual to ensure adequate financial support to the affected families and enhanced the relief amount from Rs. 1.30 lakh to Rs. 7 lakh to rebuild their homes.

He reiterated that he has repeatedly offered to accompany all the seven BJP MPs to seek financial assistance from the Centre for the disaster affected families. The Prime Minister himself had announced a package of Rs. 1,500 crore but we have not received the funds yet and we were helping the families with our own resources.

The Chief Minister distributed relief of Rs. 17,62,000 to 18 disaster-affected families as per Himachal Pradesh Relief Manual and cheques of Rs. 17,03,000 to 15 beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna-Grameen as final installment of Doon Constituency. He also presented nutrition kits to three TB patients under Tuberculosis Eradication Programme on the occasion.

Chaudhary Ram Kumar thanked the people saying that with their blessings, his father Chaudhary Lajja Ram served four terms as MLA. He said development works worth Rs. 475 crore were already underway in the constituency and today the CM has dedicated projects worth nearly Rs. 400 crore. He added that the newly dedicated 50-bed Baddi Hospital was  a major milestone. In the last three years, major offices have been opened in the Doon constituency.

Health Minister Dr. (Col) Dhani Ram Shandil, MLAs Vinod Sultanpuri and Bawa Hardeep, Chairman Jogindra Cooperative Bank Mukesh Sharma, Congress leaders Shiv Kumar, Surender Sethi were present on the occasion.

-0-

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu performed inaugurations and foundation stones of 12 development projects worth Rs. 383 crore during his one day tour to Doon assembly constituency of Solan district today.

He inaugurated Baddi-Sai-Ramshehar road constructed at Rs. 86 crore, Rs. 15.78 crore tube wells in Doon area, Rs. 10.64 crore Civil Hospital Baddi and Rs. 3.15 crore newly constructed building of Community Health Centre, Barotiwala. He also inaugurated newly opened Government Primary Schools at Haripur Sandholi, Suraj Majra, Lubana and Chakkan in Baddi Educational Block.

The Chief Minister laid foundation stones of Rs. 73.21 crore  Quality and Reliable Power Supply Scheme, Baddi, Rs. 63.73 crore Baddi-Shitalpur-Jagatkhana road,  Rs. 40 crore  ISBT Baddi, Rs. 37.67 crore Mini Secretariat building Baddi, Rs.37.10 crore Sewerage Scheme for left out areas of Baddi and Rs. 5 crore Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding School, Kalyanpur, Baddi.

-0-

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu paid floral tribute to India’s first woman Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, on her birth anniversary at the historic Ridge today.

Remembering her immense contribution to nation-building, the Chief Minister said that Indira Gandhi’s visionary decisions laid a strong foundation for India’s progress. Her leadership in poverty alleviation, economic reforms, nationalisation of banks, boosting agricultural productivity, employment generation and social empowerment was unparalleled, he added.

He said that she made the supreme sacrifice to safeguard the unity and integrity of the nation.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil, Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh, HPCC President Pratibha Singh, Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania, MLA Sanjay Rattan, Harish Janartha, Ranjeet Singh Rana  and Malender Rajan, Principal Media Advisor to the Chief Minister Naresh Chauhan, HIMUDA Vice Chairman Yashwant Chajta, Mayor Surendra Chauhan, Deputy Mayor Uma Kaushal, Councillors, Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap, SP Sanjeev Gandhi and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

-0-

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on his day's tour to Palampur  laid the foundation stone of Palampur Heliport to cost Rs. 19.77 crore. The heliport will feature a passenger terminal building, fire station, utility building, and other facilities for travelers.

While addressing the gathering after performing foundation stone ceremony of Heliport, the Chief Minister said that this heliport would be completed by April next year after which helicopter services to Chandigarh and Shimla would commence at affordable fare. He added that the State Government was formulating several development plans for Kangra district. A proposal to develop a Tourism Village in Palampur had also been prepared, but some people, provoked by and  having allegiance with the BJP have approached the Court and have taken stay from it. He said that efforts were underway to resolve the obstacles. He reiterated that the State Government was committed to promote Kangra district as Tourism Capital of the State to open new avenues of income to the people of the district.

Earlier, he also inspected the Community Health Centre (CHC) Gopalpur and interacted with patients and staff.

He said that  that a provision of Rs. 3,000 crore has been made to enhance facilities for patients, from medical colleges to other hospitals across the State. New and advanced medical equipment was being installed in the hospitals to ensure that people receive quality healthcare services within Himachal Pradesh itself, he added.

MLA Ashish Butail welcomed the Chief Minister and said that the Chief Minister  would soon tour the area shortly and will dedicate projects worth around Rs, 300 crore. He said that the Chief Minister has assured funding for the construction of a new building at the CHC, along with provisions for a digital X-ray facility and an ambulance.

HPTDC Chairman Raghubir Singh Bali, Chief Minister’s Political Advisor Sunil Sharma, Principal Advisor (IT & Innovation) Gokul Butail, Vice-Chairman HRTC Ajay Verma, Chairman of Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Development Bank Sanjay Singh Chauhan, Chairman HP Wool federation Manoj Thakur, Chairman APMC Kangra Nishu Mongra, Congress leader Devendra Jaggi and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

-0-

AOL keen to establish Osteopathy College in HP: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today offered prayers at the Panjpiri Sheetla Mata Temple at Gujrehda, near  Palampur in district Kangra, along with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of  Art of Living (AOL). He also lit a ceremonial lamp in the newly constructed temple and received blessings from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

Praising Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the Chief Minister stated that the spiritual Guru has been tirelessly working across the world to promote peace, tolerance, and human values in the society adding that he is a humanitarian leader, spiritual teacher, and an ambassador of peace. The vision of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of creating a stress-free, violence-free society has united millions of people around the Globe through services and programs offered by his foundation.  His thoughts and teachings have provided new inspiration to the younger generation. “It is a matter of pride for Himachal Pradesh that he has established the ‘Kailash Ashram’ in the lap of the Dhauladhar ranges, where disciples from around the globe will revitalize themselves with renewed energy,” said the Chief Minister.  

Sh. Sukhu said that Himachal Pradesh was known as ‘Devbhoomi’ as it was home to countless deities. To promote tourism in the State, the Government is expanding the Kangra Airport to facilitate the people. He announced that the Gujrehda link road would be paved to ensure that followers of the Art of Living do not face any inconvenience while visiting the area.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, while appreciating the Chief Minister, said that being religious in his beliefs and actions,  Sh. Sukhu has been blessed with an opportunity to serve the people of Himachal, popularly known as ‘Devbhoomi’. He highlighted that the grand Panjpiri Sheetla Mata Temple has been constructed directly facing the Aadi Himani Chamunda Temple and emphasized the importance of spiritual practice in one’s life. He added that the deities are not distant—they dwell within each of us.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar also wished to establish an Osteopathy College in Himachal Pradesh, so that local youth may learn this modern system of treatment for sustainable livelihoods. He added that society must move forward by embracing both the new and the traditional.

HPTDC Chairman Raghubir Singh Bali, MLA Ashish Butail, Chief Minister’s Political Advisor Sunil Sharma, Principal Advisor (IT & Innovation) Gokul Butail, Vice-Chairman HRTC Ajay Verma, Chairman of Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Development Bank Sanjay Singh Chauhan, Chairman HP Wool federation Manoj Thakur, Chairman APMC Kangra Nishu Mongra, Congress leader Devendra Jaggi and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

-0-

• Urges for one Permanent Member from HP in BBMB
• Emphasizes for releasing pending dues from the BBMB as per Apex court's decision
• Insists to review disaster relief rules
•  Calls for integrated sustainable development plan for northern region in NZCC meet
• Seeks early resolution of the Himachal-Ladakh boundary issues in Sarchu & Shinkula 

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has strongly advocated for Himachal Pradesh legitimate right of 7.19 percent share on Chandigarh, in it's land and assets. This is as per mandate under the Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966. He also referred to the Supreme court's judgement of 2011 which held, that Himachal Pradesh is entitled to a share of 7.19 percent in the composite Punjab, on the basis of population ratio transfer under the Punjab re-organization Act and this was the basis for the legitimate share in the power also being generated by BBMB.  

The Chief Minister was addressing the 32^nd  meeting of the Northern Zonal Council held in Faridabad, Haryana, under the chairmanship of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.

He also sought the release of pending dues from the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) as per the Supreme Court’s decision and appointment of a permanent member from Himachal in the BBMB. He also urged for implementation of the policy granting 12 percent free power royalty to the State in centrally operated hydropower projects and enhancement of Himachal’s free royalty to 50 percent in projects where the cost has already been recovered.

He urged that the issue be placed on the agenda of the next meeting of the Northern Zonal Council to ensure Himachal receives its lawful entitlement.

He requested that hydropower projects in Himachal Pradesh that have completed 40 years be handed over to the State. 

The Chief Minister sought full central funding of the power components of the under-construction Kishau and Renuka dam hydel projects and demanded that once completed, 50-50 percent electricity be provided to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. 

Sh. Sukhu urged the Centre to review disaster relief rules and to suitably revise pre and post-disaster management norms in view of the increasing vulnerability of hill states. He called for a unified, interdependent and sustainable development framework for the entire northern region in view of the rising frequency of natural disasters caused by climate change and the extensive loss they inflict every year. He said that such a coordinated plan was essential to protect the economy of hill states like Himachal Pradesh and to minimize valuable human loss through collective and focused efforts.

Highlighting the State’s strategic location and tourism potential, Sh. Sukhu stressed the urgent need to expand the air network in Himachal. He informed that the State Government was working on expanding the Kangra Airport having International level facility and requested the Centre to bear the land acquisition cost, provide full funding for the project, and prepare a separate master plan for developing small airports and heliports in the State.

The Chief Minister proposed the establishment of a high altitude research centre, ice hockey stadium, an adventure sports centre and other training facilities in border and high-altitude areas to support local habitation and promote tourism. He also requested the initiation of the National Buddhist Institute project in the tribal area of Spiti. The Chief Minister detailed about the efforts the government has taken tos promote border tourism from Shipki-La along with Indo-Tibet border and reiterated the State’s demand to start the sacred Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from Shipki-La.

Referring to the State’s fight against narcotics, the Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh was carrying out multi-dimensional action against drug trafficking. Along with strict enforcement of law and order, large-scale efforts were being made for treatment and rehabilitation of drug -affected individuals. He informed that a three-month extensive awareness campaign has been launched to eradicate dangerous substances like Chitta.

The Chief Minister also highlighted strict compliance with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 in the State and reaffirmed Himachal’s zero-tolerance policy towards such crimes.

Sh. Sukhu urged early resolution of the inter-state boundary issues between Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Ladakh in the Sarchu and Shinkula regions. He requested that the sub-office of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change in Shimla be upgraded to an integrated regional office and sought timely approvals for forest-related cases under the Forest Conservation Act.

He further sought permission under the Act to allow up to one bigha of forest land for housing construction for disaster-affected families, noting that almost all land in the State, other than private holdings, falls under the technical definition of forest land.

The Chief Minister said that despite its difficult financial position, the State has provided a special relief package to disaster-affected families, but was still awaiting nearly Rs.10,000 crore under the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment, (PDNA) along with the Rs.1,500 crore package announced by the Prime Minister. He requested early release of the entire amount.

Sh. Sukhu also called for the creation of a special task force to compensate Himachal for the revenue deficit of Rs.9,478 crore for the period up to 2023-24, even after the end of GST compensation.

He emphasized that Himachal and the Himalayas were crucial for environmental conservation and for ensuring clean water availability across North India. The State Government is working at multiple levels to make Himachal a 'Green State'.

Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors and senior officers from member States and Union Territories of the Northern Zonal Council attended the meeting.

--00--