8.4 lakh unemployed in state

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, December 12

In response to a query from Congress MLA Vikramaditya Singh, Minister for Industries Bikram Thakur, informed the house that till July this year 8,43,470 unemployed were registered with the employment department of the state.

The minister also informed that in the last one year the present government had provided 1,46,961 jobs to employed youth in the state. These include 2,328 regular jobs, 2,273 jobs on contractual basis and 2,036 on outsourcing basis in government sector. Besides 1,40,320 jobs have been created in private sector.

The minister also informed that there were 45 industrial areas and 17 industrial estates in the state. As many as 246 plots have been lying vacant in industrial areas.

While responding to query from Ram Lal Thakur, Congress MLA from Naina Devi Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur informed the house that in the last one year Rs 55.7 crores has been given in Bilaspur district for repairs of roads and bridges.

Ram Lal Thakur alleged that the grants for repair of roads were being given on discretion by the deputy commissioner but real and deserving panchayats were not getting it. He said that in Bhakra Dam region just two panchayats Saloha and Ranitoha were getting grants while other panchayats were not getting anything.

Tunnel projects 

• In response to a query from MLA from Dalhousie, the government informed that it had no proposal to construct a tunnel in Chamba district.
• To another query, the government replied that the Holi Utrala tunnel that was supposed to connect Baijnath area of Kangra with Holi area of Chamba was unviable.