Per Capita income in Himachal Pradesh had increased by Rs. 30,000 during past three years, which was highest in the country. This was stated by Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, while addressing a mammoth public meeting at Baloh, in district Hamirpur, after he inaugurated 183rd branch of Kangra Central Cooperative Bank, late last evening. He earlier also dedicated newly constructed Municipal Road, costing Rs. 24 lakh to the residents of Hamirpur town and laid foundation stone of Serai Bhawan, estimated to cost Rs. 50.50 lakhs and dedicated newly constructed residential block completed at a cost of Rs. 84 lakh to the police personnel at Hamirpur.

Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh witnessed record development and income generating activities which had resulted into substantial increase in per capita income of the residents of the State. He said that the per capita income which was Rs. 43,900 in year 2008, when the BJP Government took over the reigns in the State, had increased to Rs. 73,600 in year 2012, which happened to be the highest increase in the country in three years period. He said that a large number of income generating activities had been carried by the State Government during these years which helped in registering economic growth among all sections of the society. He said that there was no section of the society and no family in the State which had not been benefited with the progressive and visionary schemes during past four and half a year.

Prof. Dhumal said that introduction of social security pension was the vision of BJP Government which was started with Rs. 50 per month and substantially increased to Rs. 200 and successive Congress Government didn’t add even one rupee in the scheme. He said that it was again when BJP came to power in the State that the pension was increased from Rs. 200 to Rs. 300 in first instance, thereby increasing it by 50 percent and thereafter to Rs. 400 which had now been increased to Rs. 450 in the State benefiting over 2.90 lakh aged, widows and physically disabled persons in the State. He said that the State Government was live to their social responsibilities and had been fulfilling them with modesty from time to time. He said that common man had been the focal point of all policies and programmes of the State Government and his socio-economic upliftment was the priority of the State Government.

Chief Minister said that the State Government had distributed 4,000 net books amongst the toppers in matric in the State besides a scholarship of Rs. 15,000 to 2,000 girl students topping in plus two examination to pursue their studies beyond schooling. He said that the scholarship would be provided to



them for three years. He said that similarly students belonging to the State who had got admitted to IIT and IIM would also be given a financial assistance of Rs. 31,000. He said that the motive behind such schemes had been to motivate young citizens to work hard and succeed in all their future endeavours. He reiterated the resolve of the State Government to make Himachal Pradesh a role model in all respects.

Earlier Chief Minister was presented a draft of Rs. 1,79,999 by the contractual employees of the bank as contribution towards Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Chief Minister also released ‘Hamirpur Police - Aparadh Nivaran Pustika’ brought out by the District Hamirpur police.

Shri Rasil Singh Mankotia, Chairman, Kangra Central Cooperative Bank, welcomed the Chief Minister and thanked him for inaugurating 183rd branch of the bank and said that the bank had emerged to be the largest cooperative bank with the opening of 183rd bank in the State. He said that 27 new branches had been got sanctioned for opening by RBI during present term of the Government while not even one branch was opened during Congress regime. He said that about 350 recruitments to various posts had also been made during these years. He said that the bank had also emerged the first cooperative bank for getting IFSC code.

Shri Des Raj Sharma, President, District Hamirpur BJP, also welcomed the Chief Minister and lauded achievements of the state government under the visionary leadership of Prof. Dhumal.

Smt. Santosh Jaswal, Pradhan, Gram Panchayat, Baloh, thanked Chief Minister for the liberal funds provided for various developmental activities during past four and half a years.

Shri I.D.Dhiman, Education Minister, Shri Baldev Sharma, Smt. Urmil Thakur, MLAs, Shri Pyare Lal Sharma, Chairman, APMC and State President, BJP Kisan Morcha, Shri M.C.Parmar, CMD, Ex-Servicemen Welfare Board, Shri Adarsh Kant, President, Hamirpur BJP Mandal, Shri I.D. Bhandari, Director General of Police, Sh. Rajender Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Shri Madhusudan Sharma, Superintendent of Police, Shri Virender Tomar, Commandant, 4th IRB, Jangal Beri, Shri Pradeep Thakur, Conservator of Forests, other senior officers and prominent people of the area were present on the occasion.

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