Reiterating the resolve of the State government to maintain the rich cultural heritage of the state, Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh said that we need to preserve our ‘Dev Sanskriti’ which was the identity of our existence and culture.
He was addressing a public meeting in the campus of Khantu Devta at Ranole in farthest corner of sub-tehsil Chirgaon in Shimla district, today. He said the khantu devta temple would be maintained as per ancient architecture.
The Chief Minister said Himachal Pradesh had achieved various milestones of development since its formation and the successive Congress governments in the State had always given due importance to roads, as roads were the only means of development, socially and economically. The progress of any state depends on its road network which is the life line of development and prosperity, he said.
He said even the remotest areas of Chamba, Shimla, kullu, kinnaur districts and other parts of the State had been connected with roads and now the need was to maintain, metal and tar existing roads.
The State government was providing equal importance to education sector, said the Chief Minister adding that today there were around 15,000 schools in the State. The emphasis was being laid on strengthening the educational institutes by providing adequate infrastructure and staff. As many as 14 colleges in had been opened in the government sector during the last two years and a college of fine arts was also being opened in the State to promote the ancient art and craft.
Shri Virbhadra Singh said that health institutions were being upgraded and being strengthened to provide affordable and qualitative health services to the people of the State. The AIIMS was coming up in Bilaspur district which would have similar facilities as that of AIIMS in Delhi apart from three medical colleges in the state.
Speaking about Channelisation of Pabbar river, he said that it was being channelised from Tikri till Hatkoti with an outlay of Rs. 200 crore besides channelising Swan river in Una along with its 73 tributaries.
The Chief Minister said that a double lane bridge would be constructed at Samoli to connect Rohru by-pass in near future which would be further extended till Mendhali, where double lane bridge already stands constructed.
He said that vegetable market at Mendhali would be completed this year whereas the work on Rohru bus stand would also be completed soon. The road from Rohru to Chirgaon was being widened and the same would be done so till Tikri. He said that from Tikri onwards, the road till Dodra Kwar would be repaired and metalled.
Earlier, the Chief Minister performed foundation stone laying ceremony of Government High School building, Ranole to cost Rs. 1.5 crore which will also have facility of three science labs. He also laid foundation stone of forest rest house to be completed at a cost of Rs 20 lakh and inaugurated road from Koila (Ranole) to Shagru completed with an outlay of Rs. 35 lakhs which was constructed jointly by the local Panchayat and PWD.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated the newly constructed sacred sanctum of Khantu Devta at Ranole in the temple complex and paid obeisance to the local deity. He also flagged off bus service from Ranole to Koyla.
He said that Himachal was a home for people of all religions and the Congress party believes in secularism and respects all religions alike.
Shri Virbhadra Singh criticized the Land Reforms Bill of the GoI, which was against the farming community. He said that the Union Government in order to facilitate the big industrial houses was playing with the interests of the farmers.
Local MLA, Shri Mohan Lal Bragta thanked the Chief Minister for ensuring all-round development of Rohru assembly segment.
Block Congress President Shri Ishwar Dass Choharu welcomed the Chief Minister.
Earlier, Pradhan Gram Panchayat, Ranole, Shri Prem Raj Mehta and Kardar (caretaker) of Khantu Devta temple Shri Jeevan Lal Mehta honoured the Chief Minister and also placed forth the local demands of the area.
Vice Chairman HIMUDA Shri Yashwant Chhazta, President, Nagar Parishad Shri Raj Kumar Nittu, Deputy Commissioner Shri Dinesh Malhotra, SP Shri D.W.Negi and other prominent persons of the area were also present on the occasion.
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