Himachal CM Sukhvinder Sukhu inaugurates fruit mandis at Solan, Parwanoo

Solan, August 1

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said the work to restore the damaged roads in the state was being done on a war footing.

He was here to inaugurate the Rs 28.38-crore apple and fruit mandi at Solan and a terminal mandi at Parwanoo. Sukhu also inaugurated the upgraded approach road and parking for the terminal mandi completed at a cost of Rs 18.50 crore.

“The relief manual has been revised. The compensation for damaged houses has been enhanced from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 lakh, and that for crop damage from Rs 300 a kanal to Rs 3,000 a kanal,” he said.

The CM demanded the return of Rs 10,000 crore lying with the Centre that was deposited by members of the new pension scheme. The amount would be used for the old pension scheme, he said.

“The state is reeling under a debt of Rs 75,000 crore besides Rs 10,000 crore due to the employees since the tenure of the BJP government. We are availing loans to repay interest on the loans while serious efforts are being made to make the state self-sufficient over the next 10 years,” he added.

“The mistakes of the old government and cases like paper leak and FIRs have stalled the results for some exams. Around 6,000 posts are being filled in the Education Department this year. Rationalisation of the police department is also underway,” he said.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr (Col) Dhani Ram Shandil, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Chandra Kumar, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sanjay Awasthy, MLAs Vinod Sultanpuri and Ram Kumar Chawdhary were among those present on the occasion.

Stresses need to build tunnels

The CM said the possibility of construction of tunnels on the Parwanoo-Solan stretch of the Chandigarh-Shimla highway and the Shimla-Mataur national highway would be explored to shorten travel time and distance instead of widening these roads by cutting hills. “I have urged Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to consider this option,” he told reporters.