• OPS to continue, policy for outsourced employees to be implemented soon
• CM addresses public meeting at Nogli in Rampur
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that the state government was working continuously to strengthen education, healthcare and the rural economy, with a particular focus on improving public services and creating greater opportunities for the people of Himachal Pradesh.
Addressing a large public gathering at Nogli in the Rampur Assembly constituency of Shimla district, the Chief Minister said that more than 10,000 teachers had been recruited during the present government's tenure, while another 4,000 teachers would be appointed within next six months.
He said that more than 150 CBSE schools had been opened across the state to promote quality education, with around 2,000 teachers already appointed in these institutions. These schools would enable students, particularly those in rural areas, to access quality education closer to their homes. In addition, 300 schools affiliated with the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education were being developed as Schools of Excellence.
The Chief Minister said that during the previous BJP government tenure Himachal Pradesh ranked 21st in the field of quality education in 2021, and with the reforms and efforts of present state government state has reached to the fifth position. He reiterated that education and healthcare remained among the government's top priorities and that financial constraints would not be allowed to hamper development in these sectors.
He said that all government medical colleges and AIMSS Chamiyana Hospital were being equipped with modern technology and advanced machinery on the lines of AIIMS. Machines that were more than 19 years old were being replaced in a phased manner. To address the shortage of doctors, the state government had also appointed 500 doctors.
Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that all government employees in the state had been brought under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and it would continue as long as the Congress government remained in office.
He said that the state government was working on a policy to safeguard the interests of outsourced employees, which would be implemented shortly. He added that around 70 percent of eligible cases seeking employment on compassionate grounds had already been resolved and employment provided to eligible applicants.
The Chief Minister alleged that the present state government had inherited a debt burden of Rs. 76,000 crore from the previous BJP government, along with liabilities of around Rs. 10,000 crore relating to employees. He further said that the previous government had made announcements worth more than Rs. 5,000 crore during the last six months of its tenure without making adequate provision for the required staff and infrastructure just for electoral gain. He said that the public money belongs to the people of the state and the government's responsibility is to use it for their welfare and development. He said that the true meaning of ‘Vyavastha Parivartan’ was to listen to the voice of the poor, understand their concerns and formulate policies accordingly.
He said that said that strengthening the rural economy was a key priority of the state government and had been given special emphasis in the budget. He said that the increase in the procurement price of milk had improved the income of livestock farmers and announced that milk procurement rates would be increased further from 1 December.
Referring to the Kishau Multipurpose Project, the Chief Minister said that the state government had successfully secured an agreement in accordance with Himachal Pradesh's interests, potentially saving Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 crore in expenditure on power generation. After the project becomes operational, Himachal Pradesh is expected to receive around Rs 1,500 crore annually. He said that Uttarakhand had also sought a similar agreement on the lines of Himachal Pradesh, but the Central Government had not permitted this.
The Chief Minister said that the state government had achieved significant success in the Wildflower Hall case, which had resulted in Rs. 401 crore accruing to the state exchequer. He added that, following the state's legal victory in the royalty matter, the Karcham Wangtoo project was expected to generate around Rs. 150 crore annually for Himachal Pradesh.
Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that the state government would launch the ‘Apna Parivar, Sukhi Parivar’ scheme this month. Under the scheme, eligible women would receive financial assistance of Rs. 1,500 per month, while eligible families would be provided up to 300 units of free electricity.
He also announced that Mahila Mandals attending the public meeting would be provided funds for the purchase of essential items.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister provided financial assistance to 15 beneficiaries under the Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojana.
Under the Sukh Ashray Yojana, three beneficiaries received Rs. 3 lakh each for house construction, while another beneficiary was provided an instalment of Rs. 1 lakh. An additional beneficiary received financial assistance of Rs. 16,000 under the scheme.
Chairman Seventh State Finance Commission Nand Lal, HIMCON Chairman Vikesh Chauhan, former MLA Kishori Lal, Milkfed Chairman Buddhi Singh Thakur, Chairman HPBOCWWB Nardev Kanwar, Chairman HP State Cooperative Bank Devendra Shyam, Congress Vice-President Paras Ram, Congress leader Brij Lal, Mandal President Lal Chand Sharma, Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap and Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh, were present on the occasion.
