On I-Day, CM''s largesse for govt staff, pensioners — 6% DA

Tribune News Service

Solan, August 16

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh unfurled the national flag here yesterday on the occasion of the state level function of the 70th Independence Day at the historic Thodo Ground.

An impressive march-past was presented by the contingents of police, Home Guard, NCC and the ITBP jawans. Various cultural items were also showcased by the children from various schools.

While addressing the people on the occasion, the Chief Minister announced 6 per cent Dearness Allowance to the serving employees and pensioners from January 1, 2016, to be included in the salary of October and payable in November.

He said the state government had been endeavouring to provide best education, health services and road connectivity to the people. As many as 1,010 schools had either been upgraded or opened afresh. “Mukhya Mantri Adarsh Vidyalya Yojna” had been launched to provide state-of-the-art infrastructural and teaching facilities in two senior secondary schools in each constituency.

Elaborating on the government’s initiatives in vocational and higher education, he said 24 ITIs, two engineering colleges and 41 other colleges had been opened, particularly in the rural and far-flung areas. Special focus was on educating the girl child. Besides, the Indian Institute of Information and Technology had been opened in Una district, Indian Institute of Management in Sirmaur district and Fine Arts College at Shimla to equip the youth with professional skills.

He said as many as 41,500 jobs had been provided in the government sector and 1.27 lakh youth had benefited from the Skill Development Allowance Scheme.

The Chief Minister also gave figurative details of other development works and said during his tenure as many as 135 health institutions had either been opened or upgraded as compared to 28 institutions opened by the previous government. Over 2,500 posts of different categories, including those of doctor and para-medical staff, had been created as compared to 473 post created by the previous government.

Apart from this, three medical colleges are being opened in Hamirpur, Chamba and Sirmaur districts. An AIIMS has been sanctioned for the state. The ESIC Medical College at Ner Chowk in Mandi has also been taken over by the state, taking the strength of medical colleges to six.

He also recalled the contribution of the state’s first Chief Minister Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar in forming the state.

The Chief Minister also elaborated on the social welfare initiatives initiated by his government and urged gram panchayats to include genuine beneficiaries, including the poorest of the poor, in various schemes.

He said the ‘Samman rashi’ of freedom fighters had been enhanced from Rs 7,500 to Rs 10,000 and for their widows and unmarried daughters from Rs 3,500 to Rs 5,000 per month.

The Chief Minister also laid a wreath at the “Shaheed Samark” at Chambaghat. Later he hoisted the state’s tallest national flag measuring 121 feet at the National Monument at Jawahar Park here which has been set up in the memory of Bansi Dhar Aggarwal, a renowned social worker of the area.

Power Minister Sujan Singh Pathania, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dhani Ram Shandil, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries, MLAs and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

15% rebate in bus fare for govt employees 

• The 70th Independence Day was celebrated with gaiety and patriotic fervour in Dharamsala on Monday 
• Transport Minister GS Bali presided over the district-level function at the police ground and unfurled the Tricolour 
• He said the tempo traveller service would be started from all district headquarters to Shimla within a month. The minister said the 20-seater vehicle would be air-conditioned 
• He also announced 15 per cent rebate in bus fare for employees of the state government, public sector undertakings and Central Government
• “The HRTC will also start its taxi service in Shimla and all district headquarters within two months,” Bali said. He also announced to start the Volvo bus service between McLeodganj-Delhi, Chamba-Delhi, Baijnath-Chandigarh, Shimla-Katra, Shimla-Haridwar and Manali-Amritsar 
• He said to provide jobs to the youth, the HRTC would launch retail outlet petrol pumps in the state
• Bali also announced to start transport services to Delhi from major towns of the state. In the first phase, the service would be started from Nahan and Paonta Sahib
• The minister also announced free bus tickets for HIV positive patients

Celebrating 70 years of freedom 

BILASPUR

Vidhan Sabha Speaker B B L Butail, who presided over the I-Day function at Bilaspur, said in order to ensure transparency and accountability in governance, 30 more services had been brought under the ambit of Public Service Guarantee Act. He said the government had started the Skill Development Allowance Scheme for the youth. 

MANDI

Speaking at the district level function, Health and Family Welfare Minister Kaul Singh Thakur said more than 135 health institutions had been opened in the state by the present government. A decision had been taken to run the ESI Medical College, Ner Chowk. Besides, three new medical colleges were being opened in the state and first batch of 100 MBBS students would be admitted to Nahan Medical College from this year.

KEYLONG

Unfurling the National flag at Keylong, district headquarter of tribal Lahaul and Spiti district, Ayurveda Minister Karan Singh said the state had seen speedy development during the past three years and was being reckon as a fast developing state at the national level. 

RECKONG PEO

At Reckong Peo in Kinnaur district, Deputy Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha Jagat Singh Negi said  the government was implementing the Rs 111.19 crore Dr Y S Parmar Swarojgar Yojna and Rs 154 crore Rajiv Gandhi Micro Irrigation Scheme.