Soon, law to seize properties of drug peddlers: Himachal CM

UNA, FEBRUARY 12

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today said the state government would soon bring in a legislation that would enable law enforcement agencies to confiscate the properties of criminals involved in illicit liquor and drug trade. He was addressing a public gathering at Samoor Kanan village of the Kutlehar Assembly segment after laying the stone of developmental works worth Rs 66 crore.

He accused the Opposition of misleading people of the state on the issue of development.

He said the government had initiated a number of public welfare schemes like Himcare, Sahara and Grahini Suraksha Yojna, giving relief to lakhs of people living below the poverty line. He added that during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visits to the state, he had inaugurated public works estimated at about Rs 40,000 crore. This, he said was despite the pandemic.

Thakur said he and Union Minister Anurag Thakur had taken up the issue of railway expansion with the Union Railways Minister and that a budget provision of Rs 335 crore had been made for the extension of Nangal-Daulatpur chowk rail line to Talwara. Besides, he said work on the Una-Hamirpur railway line would also be initiated soon.

The CM announced a new division of the state electricity board at Thanakalan, a new division of the technical wing of the Rural Development Department at Bangana, an office of Agriculture Subject Matter Specialist at Basal village, besides the upgrade of four government schools and three veterinary dispensaries in Kutlehar segment. He also announced that an additional post of Assistant Public Relations Officer at Bangana subdivisional headquarters of the Kutlehar segment.

Thakur laid the foundation stone of a civil hospital building at Bangana, upgrade of the Dhaar Chamukha to Sinhaana drinking water scheme and an electrical sub-station at Lathiani village. He also laid the stone of a water sports complex in Androuli village near the banks of the Gobind Sagar lake, and the OPD block building of Community Health Centre in Lathiani village. He inaugurated an administrative block building at Police Lines in Jhalera village.

Agriculture Minister Virender Kanwar, Chairman of the State Finance Commission Satpal Singh Satti, MLAs Balbir Singh and Rajesh Thakur, CM’s political adviser Trilok Jamwal, DIG Sumedha Duvedi, ADC Dr Amit Kumar and SP Arijit Sen Thakur were present.

Cultural centre to be named after Lata

The CM dedicated to the public an Art, Language and Culture Centre in Samoor Kalan village. The centre has an auditorium for 800 persons, an art museum and a library, besides boarding and lodging facilities for writers. He announced that the centre would be named ‘Lata Mangeshkar Kala Kendra’ in the honour of the legendary singer.