Date:26/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/26/stories/2008012656730700.htm

National

Himachal revives plan to link villages

Staff Correspondent

Chief Minister announces medical college for Mandi district, sanctions 6 crore

Dhumal promises to review “hasty decisions” by previous government
He assures enhanced wages in the industrial sector

SHIMLA: Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal on Friday announced revival of the Mukhya Mantri Gram Path Yojna to link remote villages of Himachal Pradesh.

The announcement came on the 38th Statehood Day celebrations held at Sarkaghat.

The scheme had been discontinued during the previous Congress regime.

The Chief Minister announced the opening of a medical college in Mandi district and sanctioned Rs. 6.30 crore for completion of the Sarkaghat sewerage scheme. He promised to review “hasty decisions” taken by the previous government while opening scores of government colleges in the State and not observing any requisite formalities.

On the need to develop a rail network in the State, he said efforts would be made to get the Baddi-Chandigarh, Bhanupallu-Beri (Bilaspur), Nangal-Talwara railway lines completed in a time-bound manner and extend the Bhanupalli-Beri broad-gauge railway line to connect the Jogindernagar narrow gauge line.

It would be taken up for widening and later connected with the Pathankot railway line.

Mr. Dhumal said the State would provide technical know-how and free soil testing facilities to the farmers who would be encouraged to diversity their traditional farming to cultivate cash crops. It would boost the farm economy and make employment and self-employment avenues available to them.

He said the youth needed to go for diversification in horticulture, agriculture, floriculture and off-session vegetable cultivation in a big way.

Mr. Dhumal said efforts would be made to draw full benefits of the special industrial package announced for Himachal by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to generate employment avenues for unemployed educated youth. Industrialists would be persuaded to incorporate housing facilities into the industrial plans to enhance efficiency and skills of industrial workers.

Enhanced wages might be given in the industrial sector and to persons registered under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act besides implementing the minimum wages act vigorously.

He said the State Government would review the appointments made in contravention of recruitment norms and provide the same to all the deserving and eligible unemployed educated youth.