CM Sukhu Announces Rs. 20 Crore for Johadji–Malla Road, CBSE Affiliation for Pratha School in Solan.
Shimla:
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday announced a series of development initiatives for the Kasauli Assembly Constituency during a public meeting at Neri Kalan in Solan district. The announcements included Rs. 20 crore for the construction of the Johadji–Malla road, CBSE affiliation for Pratha School, and several welfare and infrastructure projects aimed at boosting education, connectivity and rural development.
The Chief Minister announced a monthly pension of Rs. 1,500 under the Indira Gandhi Sukh Samman Nidhi for eligible women belonging to five Gram Panchayats represented at the event. He also declared the opening of a branch of the Jogindra Cooperative Bank and ordered a survey for the construction of a dam at Chati Dhank to strengthen local infrastructure.
Expressing happiness over his visit to the area, Sukhu said he felt privileged to be the first Chief Minister after the late Virbhadra Singh to visit Neri Kalan, reaffirming the government’s commitment to the development of the region.
Highlighting the state’s success in safeguarding its interests in the Kishau Dam project, the Chief Minister said the Himachal Pradesh Government had firmly opposed earlier terms for three years before securing a better agreement. He said the state had successfully obtained 211 MW of free power without any additional financial burden, which is expected to generate nearly Rs. 600 crore annually for Himachal Pradesh.
The Chief Minister also criticised the Centre’s proposed alternative to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), saying it was not suitable for Himachal Pradesh and could negatively impact lakhs of workers. He alleged that regular recruitment in the armed forces had been halted and changes to MGNREGA had created hardships for rural families. Sukhu further stated that if the state’s Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) of Rs. 10,000 crore had not been curtailed, Himachal Pradesh would have become financially self-reliant this year. Despite these challenges, he said the government remained committed to making the state economically self-sufficient.
Emphasising the government’s focus on strengthening the rural economy, Sukhu highlighted several initiatives aimed at increasing farmers’ incomes. He said the government has fixed a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs. 150 per kilogram for naturally grown turmeric, Rs. 50 per kilogram for naturally grown maize and Rs. 80 per kilogram for naturally grown wheat. Cow milk is being procured at Rs. 61 per litre and buffalo milk at Rs. 71 per litre, with payments being made directly into farmers’ bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
The Chief Minister said the Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojana was encouraging women’s self-help groups and youth clubs to undertake plantation drives. Under the scheme, the Forest Department is supplying saplings and providing incentives for their maintenance and protection.
Highlighting the government’s social welfare initiatives, Sukhu said Himachal Pradesh became the first state in the country to legally recognise orphaned children as “Children of the State.” The government bears the expenses for their education, accommodation, upbringing and other essential needs up to the age of 27 years. He added that under the Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojana, the government is also funding higher education for children of widowed and single women.
Speaking about educational reforms, the Chief Minister said students can avail education loans of up to Rs. 20 lakh at just one per cent interest under the Dr. Y.S. Parmar Vidyarthi Rin Yojana through UCO Bank and Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Bank.
Sukhu claimed that the quality of education had deteriorated during the previous BJP government, causing Himachal Pradesh to slip to the 21st position nationally. He said the present government had improved the state’s ranking to fifth place by focusing on quality education and teacher recruitment. According to him, nearly 7,000 teachers have been recruited so far, while 150 CBSE-affiliated schools have been established across the state. Teachers for English and Mathematics have already been posted, and more appointments are expected by July.
The Chief Minister also outlined major improvements in the healthcare sector. He said advanced 3-Tesla MRI machines and modern ultrasound equipment are being installed across the state. Robotic surgery facilities have already been introduced at Chamiyana and IGMC Shimla, Nerchowk Medical College and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, benefiting nearly 200 patients. He further announced that automated laboratories would be established in all government medical colleges within the next two months to improve diagnostic services.
Sukhu said the government is also working to ensure the availability of high-quality medicines from reputed pharmaceutical companies in government hospitals to provide better healthcare to the people.
MLA Vinod Sultanpuri lauded the Chief Minister’s commitment to public welfare, saying he has effectively raised Himachal Pradesh’s concerns before the Central Government and secured significant benefits for the state. He also praised the government’s decision to provide MSP for naturally grown agricultural produce, describing it as a historic step towards improving farmers’ incomes.
Several public representatives and Congress leaders, including Chaudhary Ram Kumar, Sanjay Awasthi, Bawa Hardeep, former MLA Tilak Raj Sharma, District Congress President Subhash Varmani, APMC Solan Chairman Roshan Thakur and Jogindra Cooperative Bank Chairman Mukesh Sharma, were present at the event.
