Budget session: Govternment to provide jobs to those hit by Uhl-III hydel project, says Himachal CM

Shimla, February 22

All possible efforts are being made to ensure that the Uhl-III hydroelectric project in Mandi district is completed by March, said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu while replying to a query of Churah MLA Hans Raj during the Question Hour in the Vidhan Sabha today.

He said that it would the priority of the government to provide employment to people affected by the power project. He added that the government would consider formulating a policy for providing jobs on the outsourced basis or help the owners of ‘gharats’ (watermills) or others, who would be affected due to the hydroelectric project.

992 power projects given clearance

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• 992 power projects of 20,982 MW capacity have been approved in the state
• The work on 224 projects of 11,209 MW capacity has been completed while the work is underway on 58 projects of 2,879 MW capacity
• Sanctions are being granted to 720 projects of 6,893 MW capacity
• 137 government and 146 private hospitals empanelled for free treatment of patients under the Himcare Yojana

Sukhu said, “Our endeavour is to provide all clearances and NOCs to companies so that hydroelectric projects are completed by the deadline. It is important that projects become operational on time as that is the only way to make Himachal self-reliant,” he added.

To a joint question asked by Randhir Sharma (Naina Deviji), Janak Raj (Chamba), Deep Raj (Karsog), Ashish Sharma (Hamirpur) and Rakesh Jamwal (Sundernagar), Health and Family Welfare Minister Dhani Ram Shandil said that Rs 254.40 crore dues payable to 249 health institutions under the Himcare scheme would be cleared within a month. “As many as 137 government and 146 private hospitals have been empanelled for free treatment of patients under the Himcare Yojana. A sum of Rs 16.34 crore is pending for the treatment of patients under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana during 2023-24,” he added.

Shandil said that over 13,000 of total of 31,062 beneficiaries had availed of benefits under the Sahara Yojana. “A total of 136,015 new families have been registered under the Himcare Yojana in the past one year and 6,257 cases have been approved under the Sahara Yojana while 543 cases are pending,” he added.

Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur urged the government to ensure that the Rs 3,000 monthly assistance provided under the Sahara Yojana started by the previous BJP regime was continued. A total of 8.53 lakh people were registered under the Himcare scheme and 31,062 people were covered under the Sahara Yojana.

Sukhu, while replying to a question of Lokender Kumar (Anni) and Sudhir Sharma (Dharamsala), said that four new heliports were being set up in Palampur, Rakkar (Dharamsala), Chamba and Reckong Peo (Kinnaur) and Rs 13 crore had been sanctioned for each project.