On the first day of winter sojourn in Kangra yesterday, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu inaugurated and laid foundation stones for five projects worth Rs 19.55 crore for the Dharamsala Assembly constituency.
The Chief Minister inaugurated a 750 kW solar power plant on-grid built at a cost of Rs 4.74 crore in Kand Uparli, a new women’s police station building constructed for Rs 4.83 crore, Zila Parishad building built with a cost of Rs 3.16 crore and a newly constructed hostel of the Regional Mountaineering Centre worth Rs 3.42 crore.
He also laid the foundation stone for the Dhauladhar food street market, which will be built at a cost of Rs 3.40 crore.
Interacting with media at Dharamsala, the Chief Minister said the development of Kangra district was a priority for the government and such visits to the region were essential to accelerate the pace of development.
By visiting various areas, the government gains insights into people’s problems and works towards finding their solutions.
He said that during this visit, the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art milk processing unit worth approximately Rs 250 crore will be laid at Dhangwar, which will boost the rural economy.
Strengthening the rural economy was the key focus of the state government and continuous steps were being taken in this direction.
The Chief Minister said the government was procuring cow’s milk at Rs 45 per litre and buffalo’s milk at Rs 55 per litre.
Additionally, maize grown using natural farming techniques was being purchased at Rs 30 per kilogram and wheat at Rs 40 per kilogram. This year, the state government has procured 4,000 metric tons of natural maize.
Sukhu said the daily wage under MGNREGA had been hiked by Rs 60, raising it from Rs 240 to Rs 300 per day. He said that more measures would be taken in the future to further strengthen the rural economy.
Earlier, on his arrival at Dharamsala, the Congress workers and local residents welcomed the Chief Minister.
He also listened to the public grievances and gave necessary directions to the officers to resolve them on priority.
Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, Ayush Minister Yadvinder Goma, chairman, HPTDC RS Bali, vice chairman, State Planning Board Bhawani Singh Pathania, Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania, MLA Ashish Butail, Principal Advisor to CM (IT and innovations) Gokul Butail, Chairman, HP State Co-operative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank welcomed the Chief Minister.
