Una: Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu while addressing public meeting at Daulatpur chowk in Una district today took a jibe at Bhartiya Janata Party, stating that during five years of its regime the BJP kept on boasting about the ‘double engine Sarkar’, but could not significantly contribute for development of the state and raised loans from the Centre, thus pushing the state in financial crisis. He said that to make Himachal Pradesh self-reliant, the government was determined to take some harsh decisions to improve the economy with co-operation of the people of the State.
The Chief Minister announced for additional funds for the remaining work on the Daulatpur-Bhadrakali road, for which Rs. 15 crore has already been spent. He also declared that the necessary funds will be released to complete the remaining construction work of the new building of Gagret Hospital.
The Chief Minister informed the public that the survey work for the Hoshiarpur-Nadaun four-lane road project has been completed and the construction work will commence shortly. He further assured that the Shivbari Fair will be granted district-level status. In addition, the vacant posts of doctors at Daulatpur Chowk and Gagret Primary Health Centres will be filled soon to improve healthcare services in the region. The Chief Minister also announced the installation of tube wells in water-scarce areas of the Gagret Assembly Constituency to address the issue of drinking water shortage.
He also mentioned that there were some concerns regarding the establishment of a Bulk Drug Park in Haroli. However, the construction of the park is now set to begin soon.
Criticizing the previous government’s education policies, the Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh, once ranked among the top states in quality education, has dropped down to 21st position due to flawed policies of the previous BJP government. Consequently, students have shown a declining interest in enrolling in government schools. Many schools now witness a lower student-to-teacher ratio from classes 5th to 12th. The present government has decided to merge such schools to ensure qualitative education and a better future for students.
With pride, the Chief Minister said that for the first time since Independence, both the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister are from the Hamirpur Parliamentary Constituency and regularly discuss strengthening drinking water, irrigation, and basic infrastructure projects to accelerate on-ground implementation.
Una district has become the first solar-powered district in the state. Solar power projects of 32 MW in Pekhubela, 5 MW in Bhanjal, and 10 MW in Aghlaur have been completed in record time. Additionally, projects with a combined capacity of 163 MW are under construction, involving an investment of Rs. 500 crore. In the future, Una will not only meet its electricity demands but also supply power to other districts. Moreover, an ultra-modern Bulk Drug Park is coming up in Haroli, which will create thousands of job opportunities and significantly strengthen Una’s industrial presence.
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP, the Chief Minister said that just before the 2022 elections, the previous BJP government wrecked the state’s economy. Around 600 schools and health institutions were opened without any proper planning. Public assets worth Rs. 5,000 crore were distributed and sold. Big hotels and factories were given electricity subsidies worth Rs. 2,200 crore and water subsidies worth Rs. 800 crore for electoral gains, which has left the state in serious financial distress.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of development projects worth Rs. 75.10 crore in the Gagret Assembly Constituency. These include the foundation stones of construction of a major 400-meter span bridge on the Swan River under PMGSY-III on Amb-Ambota road at a cost of Rs. 42.82 crore, construction of four bridges under PMGSY-III on Gagret to Oyal Bhawa over Tatchra, Mawa Sindhian, Shilang, and Loharli khads via upper Siriyan to cost Rs. 2.70 crore.
He laid the foundation stone of a bridge over Jadla khad on Pipluh to upper Loharli to cost Rs. 3.59 crore, metalling and tarring work on Ram Mandir to Banne-di- Hatti via Upper Andaura, Jattan-da-Behda, Athwan road to cost 6.46 crore. He also laid the foundation stone of the additional building of Government Degree College Daulatpur Chowk to cost 2.79 crore.
The Chief Minister inaugurated the workshop of Government Polytechnic College, Ambota, completed with an outlay of 2.27 crore, inaugurated Rs. 1.85 crore lift drinking water supply schemes in Shivpur and Banne-di-hatti, a composite lift drinking water scheme in Gondpur Banehra completed at a cost of Rs. 1.03 crore, multi-village piped drinking water scheme in Shivbari under Jal Jeevan Mission completed at a cost of Rs. 1.08 crore. He also inaugurated Rs. 3.10 crore multi-village piped water scheme in Nakroh, Rs. 2.40 crore multi-village piped water schemes in Amlehar and Bhanjal.
He also dedicated Rs. 1.05 crore tube-well improvements in Upper Andaura improvement of tube-well at Andoura-1 completed at a cost of Rs. 1.02 crore besides improvement of tube-well at Mawa Sindhian, and Nakroh completed with a cost of Rs. 1.05 crore and Rs. 1.07 crore respectively and new tube-well construction in Kailash Nagar at a cost of Rs. 82.18 lakh.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, in his address, said that Rs.170 crore has been invested solely in water supply schemes in the Gagret Assembly Constituency. This will offer a permanent solution to drinking water and irrigation problems. He criticized the central government for delaying the release of funds for water schemes in Himachal Pradesh. While the state was supposed to receive Rs. 2,000 crore, only Rs. 137 crore has been sanctioned so far. He asserted that the state government is strongly advocating for its rightful share and has met the Union ministers in Delhi to pursue the same.
The Chief Minister said that Una has emerged as the fastest-growing district in the state and is being developed as a “Solar Hub” of the state. Local MLA Rakesh Kalia, while welcoming the Chief Minister, expressed his gratitude for dedicating several developmental projects in his constituency. He raised several development-related demands, including additional funding for the Gagret hospital building on which rupees seven crore has already been spent, and an additional amount of rupees one crore has been recently sanctioned. He also urged the CM to release more funds for completing the remaining work.
He requested to expedite the land acquisition process for 33 KV substations in Loharli and Mubarakpur. He also sought budgetary assistance for local roads and district-level status for the Shivbari fair. The event was attended by Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri, MLA Sudarshan Babloo, Chairman of the SC Commission Kuldeep Kumar, Advocate General Anup Kumar Rattan, District Congress President Ranjeet Rana, Block Congress President Surender Kanwar and senior officers of the district.
