Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today credited former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi with providing 33 per cent reservation to women in panchayati raj institutions (PRIs).
Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was the first to support the Bill passed by the Rajya Sabha to provide reservation to women in the Vidhan Sabha and Parliament, he claimed.
The state government was also in favour of reservation to women, he said while addressing a public rally in the Chambi area of Kangra district on International Women’s Day.
Sukhu said that the state government amended the land law to give equal rights to daughters. Besides, the state government increased the reservation for women in recruitment in the Police Department to 30 per cent. Under the Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojana, the state government was bearing the entire cost of education of the children of widows so as to facilitate their studies, he added.
He took a jibe at Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda and said, “What kind of doctor is he who treats but cannot give foresight.
Had you treated the vision of the Jai Ram Thakur government at the right time, you could have saved the wealth of Himachal Pradesh from being looted.
The state government will apprise the people of the state about how the previous BJP government looted their wealth and the rights of farmers and women.”
The Chief Minister said that central BJP leaders had stated that Himachal Pradesh would not be able to function if the Central Government did not provide funds to it.
“This is not the Central Government’s money but the money of the people of Himachal Pradesh, which is part of the federal system,” he added.
He announced the opening of a Sub Judge Court and a DSP office in Shahpur, conversion of Government Senior Secondary School at Rait into Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding School, Rs 25 lakh for the construction of Guru Ravidas Bhawan, opening of a section of the Jal Shakti Department at Darini and setting up of a bulk milk cooler of 2,000 litres’ capacity at Rirkmaar.
He also announced that the primary health centre (PHC) at Rirkmaar would be upgraded to a community health centre, an oxygen plant would be set up and ultrasound and dialysis facilities would be provided in the Civil Hospital, Shahpur.
The Chief Minister said that the government would provide funds for the construction of the building of PHC at Lanj, sanction the posts of dentist in the Civil Hospital, Shahpur, and the PHC, Naganpat, a post of dental hygienist in the PHC, Chadi, and starting BCA, BVoc and PGDCA courses in Government College, Lanj.
He announced that Government College, Shahpur, and the ITI would be renamed after Rajiv Gandhi, Government High School, Bhanala, after martyr Pawan Kumar and the Pakka Tiyala-Chauri road after martyr Milap Singh Jamwal.
Under the Mahila Vikas Protsahan Yojana, the Chief Minister honoured the Saksham Cluster Level Federation (Basantpur), Shimla; Dolma Negi of Rekongpeo, Parul Minhas of Kumarsen, Anshul Malhotra of Mandi and Nikita of Kangra district with a reward of Rs 1 lakh each.
He also honoured the best anganwadi workers and assistants from 11 districts as well as the best self-help groups from 12 districts and gave away cash prizes to 10 topper students each of Class X and XII in Kangra district.
Sukhu also honoured 16 women and an NGO of Kangra district for their excellent work. Besides, he handed over a cheque for Rs 3 lakh for house building to Pragati, a resident of Shahpur, a beneficiary under the Mukhyamantri Sukh Ashray Yojana, and Rs 2 lakh for marriage to Mohini Devi.
He also honoured three national-level women kabaddi players.
