Himachal CM releases Rs 35.42 lakh to 1,012 fisher families

Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday released Rs 35.42 lakh in financial assistance to 1,012 fisher families under the Mukhyamantri Matsya Samman Nidhi Yojana and announced the opening of a new Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) office at Dadasiba in Kangra district’s Jaswan-Pragpur Assembly constituency. He also announced round-the-clock functioning of the Community Health Centre (CHC) at Kasba Kotla and said the notification for the new SDM office would be issued shortly.

Addressing a gathering at Dadasiba, Sukhu said Rs 3,500 had been transferred directly into the bank accounts of each of the 1,012 fisher families through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism.

The Chief Minister said the state government was providing annual financial assistance of Rs 3,500 to fisher families during the annual fishing ban period to mitigate the difficulties they face. He said the government had also introduced a minimum support price (MSP) for fish.

The Chief Minister announced that the Mukhyamantri Ka Apna Parivar Sukhi Parivar Yojana would be launched from Solan district on October 2. He said around 90,000 families that had never benefited from any government welfare scheme had been identified for inclusion under the initiative.

Around two lakh families would be covered under the scheme, with women belonging to these families set to receive a monthly pension of Rs 1,500 along with 300 units of free electricity.

Accusing the previous BJP government of misusing public money, Sukhu alleged that around 5,000 bighas of land in the Baddi area of Solan district had been allotted to industrialists close to the BJP under a customised package without registration.

He said the state government was considering cancelling the allotments and that the land would be taken back if no work had been undertaken on it.

Referring to the Himcare scheme implemented during the previous BJP government, Sukhu alleged that bills had been prepared for ovary operations on men, which, he said, pointed to a major scam. He also alleged benami transactions in connection with the expansion of Kangra airport and said the state government had ordered an inquiry. If irregularities were established, he said, the land would be confiscated and distributed among the poor.

Speaking about healthcare, the Chief Minister said the state government had set a target of filling 90 per cent of medical, paramedical and supporting staff positions in government medical colleges by December 31 this year.

Earlier, Sukhu inaugurated the newly constructed Primary Health Centre building at Bari in Jaswan-Pragpur, built at a cost of Rs 95 lakh. He also laid the foundation stones for a science block at Government Senior Secondary School, Dadasiba, costing Rs 1.80 crore; road works worth Rs 4.85 crore in the Jaswan-Pragpur area; and a health sub-centre building at Aloh, costing Rs 37 lakh.

Deputy Chairman of the State Planning Board Bhawani Singh Pathania said the government was focusing on balanced development, with priority being accorded to health, education and the rural economy. Dehra MLA Kamlesh Thakur, Jwalamukhi MLA Sanjay Rattan, former MLA Yog Raj and Advocate General Anup Rattan were among those present on the occasion.