Nadaun (Hamirpur) : At the 29th Annual Prize Distribution Ceremony of Siddharth Government College in Nadaun, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today honoured students who had excelled in various fields. Congratulating the meritorious students he said that the state government was implementing significant reforms in the education system to prepare young people for future challenges.
He said that CBSE curriculum were being started in 140 schools in the state and assured that all required teachers will be made available in these schools within the next two months. A separate dress code will also be introduced for students studying in these institutions. He said that the Education Department would fill up the posts of 400 lecturer and 400 Assistant lecturers. He also announced an allocation of Rs. 20 crore for the Science College in Hamirpur.
Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also highlighted several development initiatives in the education and healthcare sectors. He said the present state government has sanctioned Rs. 300 crore for the construction of a cancer hospital in Hamirpur, where a super specialist block would also be established. In addition, a Mother and Child Hospital was being constructed at a cost of Rs. 100 crore to ensure best health facilities to the people of the area. He said that new academic courses along with programmes in Physics, Biology and Botany would begin along with MCA and MBA courses soon be introduced at Nadaun College from the next academic session. To support cultural activities at the college, he announced financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakh.
The Chief Minister said that Nadaun holds special significance for him as it is both his birthplace and karmabhoomi and he remains committed to ensuring its development. He said that the region would definitely emerge as a major sports tourism destination in the coming years. A modern sports centre worth Rs. 160 crore was currently being constructed in Khairi and was expected to be completed by June. He also said that the government would develop a riverfront on the Beas River at a cost of Rs. 300 crore. Apart from this, a river rafting centre worth Rs. 80 crore and a wellness centre costing Rs. 100 crore will be established. He added that nine CBSE schools would begin operating in the Nadaun Assembly constituency from the current academic session, while a new bus stand costing Rs. 300 crore was also being constructed in Hamirpur. The government would additionally spend Rs. 1,500 crore on improving water quality to ensure clean drinking water across the state.
Recalling his student life and political journey, the Chief Minister said that he experienced an emotional moment during the vote counting for the 2022 Assembly elections, which took place at the same college. He said that through the blessings of the people and fortune he received the opportunity to serve the state as Chief Minister. He also remarked that Hamirpur district was perhaps unique in the country for it has given two Chief Ministers, with Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal previously holding the position and now he himself having the privilege to serve.
The Chief Minister said that the previous BJP government, alleging that nearly Rs. 5,000 crore had been distributed during the elections, yet the party still faced defeat. He said that during the previous governments tenure Himachal Pradesh had slipped to the 21st position in terms of quality education, whereas reforms introduced by the present government have improved the state’s ranking to fifth place. He also highlighted several welfare initiatives started by the government. Under the Dr. Y.S. Vidyarthi Rin Yojna, students can receive loans of up to Rs. 20 lakh for higher education at an interest rate of only one per cent. Through the Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojana, the state government bears the cost of higher education for the children of widowed women. He said that orphaned children were being supported under the Children of the State initiative, making Himachal Pradesh the first state in the country to enact a law ensuring the care and support of orphaned children. He said that the government has generated Rs. 3,800 crore by closing avenues of corruption and was using these funds to start welfare schemes for all sections of society.
Sukhu said that the coming years belong to the youth of Himachal Pradesh. The present state government was working hard to making the state self-reliant by 2027 and making all possible efforts to make it one of the most prosperous states in the country by 2032. He also spoke about financial challenges faced by the state, claiming that the previous government got Rs. 70,000 crore through RDG and GST compensation, whereas the present state government has received only Rs. 17,000 crore as RDG grant. Despite such challenges, he assured that the government would continue to work for the welfare of the people and would not withdraw the Old Pension Scheme, which was restored to secure the future of government employees.
The Chief Minister said that the present state government have made improvements in the healthcare sector, 19-year-old MRI machine at IGMC Shimla has been replaced with a modern 3-Tesla MRI machine. Advanced facilities similar to those at AIIMS Delhi were being provided in medical colleges across the state. The government has also established model health institutions in every Assembly constituency to ensure the availability of specialist doctors closer to people’s homes. A statewide HPV vaccination campaign was being conducted to protect girls from cervical cancer and Himachal Pradesh would soon introduce the country’s first Nutrition Policy to promote healthier living.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of multipurpose hall at Nadaun Government College, which would be constructed at a cost of Rs. 17.22 crore.
MLAs Vivek Sharma, Kangra Cooperative Primary Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Chairman Ramchander Pathania and HP State Agriculture Marketing Board Chairman Kuldeep Singh Pathania, APMC Chairman Ajay Sharma, Vice Himachal Pradesh Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation Kangra Chairman Dr. Mohan Lal, Convener and Advisor of the State Drug De-addiction Board Naresh Thakur, District Congress President Suman Bharti, Congress Leaders Dr. Pushpinder Verma, Subhash Dadhwalia, Block Congress President Captain Prithvi Chand, Director Higher Education Amarjeet Sharma, ADC Abhishek Garg and SP Balbir Singh were present on the occasion.
