Employees, pensioners get 5% DA on Statehood Day

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 25

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur announced 5 per cent dearness allowance for the employees and pensioners of the state government from July 1, 2019, at the statehood day function in Bilaspur district today.

Presiding over the 50th statehood day function at Shaheed Ashwini Kumar Memorial Senior Secondary School, Jhandutta, Bilaspur district, Thakur said 51 programmes were being organised in the state today. He also unveiled the golden jubilee plaque.

The Chief Minister unfurled the National flag and took salute from the impressive march past by contingents of the police, Home Guard jawans, NCC and NSS cadets, Scouts and Guides and schoolchildren.

“When Himachal attained the statehood, the length of roads was merely 7,740 km and the literacy rate was 31.3 per cent. There were only 4,963 educational institutions, 482 health institutions and 2,944 villages,” he said. Today the state had a network of 37,207-km roads, 3,128 villages of the 3,226 had road link. HP had received national awards for better performance in the field of good governance, health, education, agriculture and horticulture. He said new schemes like Jan Manch, Mukhya Mantri Seva Sankalp Helpline, Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojana, Himcare and Sahara had yielded good results.

He said his government had reduced the age limit for receiving the social security pension from 80 to 70 years which had benefited 1.30 lakh senior citizens and at present 2,63,798 were covered under it.

The Jan Manch and Mukhya Mantri Seva Sankalp Helpline1100 were addressing the problems of the public. He said Him Care scheme had been started for all not covered under Ayushman Bharat Yojana and 5.50 lakh families had been registered within a year.

More than 58,000 patients had been treated under this scheme. He said the Global Investor Meet was organised on November 7-8 at Dharamsala in which 703 MoUs worth Rs 96,720.88 crore had been signed.

Expressing concern over the increasing cases of drug abuse, particularly among the youth, the Chief Minister said the government had taken steps to check this social evil.

A colourful cultural programme was also held. Irrigation and Public Health Minister Mahender Singh Thakur, MLAs Col Inder Singh, JR Katwal, Subhash Thakur, Rajinder Garg, former MLA Randhir Sharma and RR Kondal, Chief Secretary Anil Kumar Khachi, Director General of Police SR Mardi and other senior officers were present on the occasion.

Modi, Shah greet people

Shimla: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda on Saturday wished the people on Statehood Day.

Modi in his tweet said he hoped that the beautiful state would keep scaling new heights and contribute to the country’s development. Shah in his tweet said the Devbhoomi had a “double engine” with both PM Modi and CM Jai Ram Thakur accelerating the pace of development.

Nadda in his tweet said Himachal was known the world over for its scenic beauty and cultural values. “Himachal has a special place in the heart of our PM Modiji,” he tweeted. tns

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