70th Independence Day was celebrated with enthusiasm and gaiety throughout Himachal Pradesh today. Functions were organised at State, District and Sub-Divisional levels to mark the occasion. Unfurling National Flag, impressive march-past by contingents of Police, Home Guards, NCC, ITBP and cultural programmes were main attractions of the celebrations. People in large number in their traditional attire had started to assemble the venue of functions early morning to witness the celebration.While presiding over the State Level Independence day celebration function at Solan, Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh announced 6 percent Dearness Allowance to the serving employees and pensioners of the State government from 1st January 2016, to be included in salary of October and payable in November. The employees and pensioners have already been provided interim relief of 5 percent from August 2016.
Chief Minister said that since the day we came to power, the goal of my Government had been to provide best of Education, Health services and Road connectivity to the people of Himachal Pradesh, besides ensuring their welfare by all means and the employees played a pivotal role in providing required fillip to the development.“Education is the backbone of developed society and to achieve the objective, the primary focus of my Government has been to empower every child by providing basic and quality education”, said the Chief Minister. To achieve the objective as many as 1010 schools in the State were either upgraded and the new ones opened. 'Mukhya Mantri Adarsh Vidyalya Yojna', has been launched to provide State of the Art infrastructural and teaching facilities in two Senior Secondary Schools in each constituency, he said.As far as higher and vocational education is concerned as many as 24 ITI's, two Engineering Colleges and 41 colleges have been opened in the State particularly in rural and far flung areas which has brought revolution in field of girl education in such areas.
During the present tenure of the Government, said Sh. Virbhadra, adding that Indian Institute of Information and Technology (IIIT) had been opened in Una district, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Sirmour district and Fine Arts College at Shimla which would help the youth to seek more options to adopt vocational courses. We need to educate every child so that none of them miss opportunities of employment and self-employment in the later stage of their life, said he. During last three and a half years of my government regime, as many as 41,500 jobs had been provided in Government sector besides regularising thousands of daily wagers, said the Chief Minister.Apart from this, under Skill Development Allowance Scheme, as many as 1.27 lakh youth has been benefited, wherein a sum of Rs 1000 was being given as allowance to unemployed youth and Rs 1500 to persons with special abilities per month respectively for enhancing their skill in a particular listed trade of their choice, he said, adding that a sum of Rs 93 crore had been spent on this.
Chief Minister said that during the last three and a half years of the present Government, as many as 135 health institutions had been either opened or upgraded, as compared to only 28 institutions opened during the tenure of the previous government. Over 2500 posts of different categories including doctors and Para-medical staff have been created during the present tenure of Congress regime as compared to only 473 posts created during the tenure of the previous Government. Three medical colleges are being opened in Hamirpur, Chamba and Sirmaur districts, he said, adding that AIIMS had been sanctioned for the State, which would be opened in Bilaspur district besides the State Government had taken over the ESIC Medical College at Ner Chowk in Mandi taking strength of Medical colleges in the State to six.He said that Independence was a hard won battle and the contribution of people of Himachal Pradesh in the struggle for Independence can't be forgotten. I extend my heartiest felicitations to the people of the State on this day and also pay my homage and gratitude to Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar, the founder and first Chief Minister of Himachal, who not only spearheaded the struggle for a separate entity to the State, but also laid a sound foundation for its development. He also stressed upon maintaining the Unity and integrity of the country.
The Chief Minister said that welfare of the people was also a priority agenda of his government. Over 3.87 lakh eligible widows, aged and people with special abilities are being given social security pension of Rs. 650 per month. Persons above 80 years of age and widows below forty years of age with child/children are getting social security pension of Rs. 1,200 per month. The daily wages had been enhanced to Rs 200 from Rs 150, he said adding that all those contractual employees and daily wagers who have completed five years and seven years of their regular service respectively were being regularised. Honorarium of Part-time Water Carriers, Water Guards, Tailoring Teachers, Gram Vidya Upasaks, Home Guards and Panchayat Chowkidars has been enhanced considerably, he said.He said that the gram panchayats should incorporate in the list of BPL the genuine beneficiaries and also the poorest of poor to be considered for all welfare schemes of the government.
A sum of Rs. 667 crore have been spent under the State Food Subsidy Scheme on providing pulses, edible oil and salt at subsidised rates during the last three years, he said, adding that over 37 lakh people of the State are being provided food security under 'Rajiv Ann Yojana, 'including subsidised Ration. The Chief Minister also detailed about the development activities in Solan district. Highlighting few, he said that a mini secretariat amounting to Rs 26 crore was coming up at Solan, which would house maximum offices under one roof to facilitate the people. Besides, a sum of Rs 5.41 has been sanctioned for Shamti By-Pass road, opening of new colleges at Dharampur, Diggal, Barotiwala and Kandaghat, setting up of 243 new industries in Solan district providing employment to more than 4500 people, construction of 144 kilometers of new roads and connecting 1894 villages with road in the district etc.
Adding that last but not the least, Chief Minister said that we will ever remain indebted to our freedom fighters, soldiers and Ex-servicemen who are held in high esteem. He said that as a mark of respect to the freedom fighters, the State Government has enhanced the ‘Samman Rashi’ of freedom fighters from Rs.7500 to Rs. 10,000 and for their widows and unmarried daughters from Rs. 3500 to Rs.5000 per month.Earlier, the Chief Minister hoisted the National Flag and took salute from the impressive march past by contingents of Police, Home-guards, NCC, scouts and guides and NSS cadets including school Children. The Parade was led by ASP Shri Arjit Sen Thakur (IPS). He also honoured the freedom fighters on the occasion.A colourful cultural performance was presented on the occasion. He also gave away prizes to the participants of culture performances and others. MPP and Power Minister, Shri Sujan Singh Pathania, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries, Shri Neeraj Bharti and Shri Mansa Ram, State Youth Congress President, Shri Vikramaditya Singh, MLA, Shri Mohan Lal Brakta, Chief Secretary Shri V.C. Pharka, DGP Shri Sanjay Kumar and other senior civil and Police officers were present on the occasion amongst other dignitaries and luminaries from the town.