2.3L women to get Rs 1,500 beginning this fiscal

Una, April 15

Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan today said that 2.31 lakh women would be provided a monthly pension of Rs 1,500 from the current financial year.

The minister said that a new industrial area would be set up in Mehatpur-Bangarh area of Una district at a cost of Rs 100 crore, besides a pharmaceutical hub at Beetan village of Haroli subdivision. He added that a 100-bed ESI hospital had been sanctioned for Una district and its first phase having 30 beds would be launched soon with the help of the Central Government.

Industrial area, pharma hub

• A new industrial area to be set up in Mehatpur-Bangarh area of Una district at a cost of Rs 100 crore
• A pharmaceutical hub to be set up at Beetan village of Haroli subdivision
• A 100-bed ESI hospital has been sanctioned for Una district and its first phase having 30 beds will be launched soon
• Irrigation project envisaged for Una district at a cost of Rs 1,332 crore
• Rs 2,000 crore to be spent on developing a drug park at Polian village in Haroli

He addressed the gathering after unfurling the National Flag at a district-level function organised here on the occasion of Himachal Day. He also took the salute at an impressive march past presented by the contingents of the Himachal Police, Home Guards, NCC and the NSS.

Chauhan said that on April 15, 1948, Himachal Pradesh came into existence as a union territory with the merger of 30 princely states. Since then it had made strides and emerged as a model state in the country, mainly because of its honest and hardworking people and visionary leadership from time to time, he added.

He said that soon after coming to power, the Congress government led by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu had made sincere efforts to fulfil promises made to people before the Assembly elections. He added that the old pension scheme (OPS) was restored in the first Cabinet meeting, providing relief to 1.36 lakh employees.

Chauhan said that an irrigation project was being envisaged for Una district at a cost of Rs 1,332 crore. Water under the project would be lifted through pipelines from the Pong Dam. He added that the ambitious project would irrigate agricultural land in all five segments of the district.

Earlier, the minister paid tribute at the war memorial situated in the municipal park of Una city. He later inspected the bulk drug project site at Polian village in Haroli subdivision. The Union Government had sanctioned the park for the manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), a key raw material for medicines.

Chauhan said that Rs 2,000 crore would be spent on the development of the drug park, which would provide direct employment to about 10,000 people, besides allied livelihood opportunities to about 20,000 households.

Kutlehar MLA Davinder Bhutto, former Una MLA Satpal Raizada, Deputy Commissioner Raghav Sharma and SP Arijit Sen were present on the occasion.