CM hands over flats’ keys to slum dwellers

Tribune News Service

Solan, September 20

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh  today handed over keys of flats to slum dwellers under the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme in Parwanoo.

He said it was necessary to rehabilitate slum dwellers  by providing them hygienic dwellings and  for this, Rs 1.5 crore had been incurred on this project. As Parwanoo is the  gateway to Himachal, the town should give a good impression to visitors.

He said the  slums demolition  had risen as cities were being  spruced up under various programmes. An initiative for creating housing facilities for slum dwellers was crucial and it also   fulfilled   Mahatma Gandhi’s dream  of achieving  Clean Bharat. 

He said Rs 1  crore for the  upgrade and maintenance of various  industrial roads would be transferred soon. 

The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of 200 kiosks for street vendors on which Rs 6.30 crore  would be spent. Two commercial complexes of HIMUDA would be  constructed at a cost of Rs 88 crore at Parwanoo. 

Virbhadra stated this while  addressing a public meeting at Kumarhatti in Solan district after inaugurating a  multipurpose hall and playground named after him  at Kumarhatti on which Rs 6 crore was spent. 

He said the government  decided to introduce an annual  scholarship of Rs 5,000   for girls of BPL families  under the  Beti Hai Anmol Yojna.  This would also  benefit girls undertaking professional courses. 

The CM also laid the foundation stone of leprosy hospital at  Lohanji  on which Rs 4 crore would be incurred, besides laying the foundation stones of  BDO office building at Dharampur.  

The Chief Minister dedicated lift water supply scheme, Kiarua Jandori, to public and also   inaugurated a 33 KV substation, Gandhigram.

CM  also  announced upgrade of a primary school, Dabhog, to middle school. 

State Youth Congress president Vikramaditya Singh, while addressing a gathering, said   the government was committed to strengthening the sports infrastructure. He said    sportsmen, who had brought laurels to the state, were being provided government jobs  and  Sushma Verma, an international cricketer, and Ajay Thakur, an international kabaddi player from  Nalagarh, had been appointed as DSPs.  

With the  State Planning Board Gangu Ram Musafir also making his presence felt, there are assumptions that he is vying for a ticket  from Kasauli for the Vidhan Sabha poll. Two more candidates, Vinod Sultanpuri, who had lost  the last poll by a slender margin, and Namita, member, State Women’s Commission,  were also  present.