Developing backward areas top priority: CM

Tribune News Service

Solan, September 14

The state government is according top priority to accelerate the pace of development in the few left-out backward areas of the state by providing additional funds for health, education, roads and drinking water facilities. This was stated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh while addressing a public meeting at Jadol-Taproli in Pachhad constituency of Sirmaur district late last evening.

He said the present government had constructed more than 2,000 km of new roads connecting 865 new villages and 3,138 gram panchayat headquarters.

He said the government had opened a large number of schools and degree colleges to provide educational facilities to the students of rural areas. This had benefitted the youth, especially girls, in getting higher education as most of the parents were hesitant to send girls to far-off places for higher education. He said in view of this initiative of the government Himachal today had a high literacy rate. Virbhadra Singh said despite financial constraints, the state government had taken decision to provide unemployment allowance to the youth for two years, which showed the commitment of the government to empower the youth.

He said the government had opened a number of engineering colleges and Industrial Training Institutes to facilitate youth in getting vocational training across the state.

On the demand of the local representatives, the Chief Minister assured that the possibilities of opening a degree college at some suitable place in the Pajhota area would be explored as there was no college in the area.He also addressed a public meeting at Kaunti and Shilabag.

Earlier, Virbhadra Singh inaugurated a Police Post at Pajhota (Fati Patel), laid foundation stone of 33 KV sub-station at Shilabag and flagged off bus services from Tharu-Dibber-Nohri via Kotla-Bangi-Shimlia-Painkufar_Taproli-ohri_Habban-Rajgarh with night halt at Tharu and another from Solan-Nohri-Taproli via Shimlia-Painkufar with night halt at Taproli. He announced bus service from Sersog to Solan via Kot-Sarahan-Deol Tikkeri with night halt at Sersog. He laid the foundation stones for construction and metalling/tarring of link road Thod-Nawad and construction and metalling/tarring of link road Dhandrel-Kanog besides Kunthal-Pashog road in Rajgarh Tehsil.

Skill development scheme for youth: CM
The Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said though literacy rate had gone up it was not possible to provide jobs to every youth in the government sector. Therefore, the state government had launched skill development scheme to train youth in different trades and enhance their employability.