CM takes review meetings of departments in Dharamsala

Dharamsala, May 24, 2023: Chief Minister Thakur Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu conducted a series of comprehensive meetings with officers and officials from various departments on the second day of his visit to Dharamsala, as part of his Kangra Sojourn. The purpose of these meetings was to review the progress of different development schemes. Emphasizing the importance of ensuring that the government's welfare schemes reach the intended beneficiaries, the Chief Minister instructed the departments to effectively disseminate information about these schemes to the public.
 
During the meetings, Chief Minister Sukhu addressed the issue of unutilized funds allocated for various projects. He directed the concerned departments to either return the unspent funds to the Deputy Commissioner or reallocate them for other projects, based on the recommendations of the respective MLAs. This approach would ensure the efficient utilization of resources and timely completion of designated works.
 
Chief Minister Sukhu highlighted the government's commitment to environmental sustainability by mentioning the presentation of a 'Green Budget' this year. As part of this initiative, he outlined plans to establish 2 MW solar power projects in two Panchayats of each assembly constituency, including all 15 assembly constituencies of Kangra district. He urged the expedited selection of suitable sites for the installation of these solar projects. The Chief Minister also set an ambitious target of producing 500 MW of solar power within the current year. To further encourage solar power adoption, the state government approved the Rajiv Gandhi Swarozgar Yojana, providing a 40% subsidy for setting up solar power projects ranging from 250 KW to 2 MW.
 
In addition, Chief Minister Sukhu announced the forthcoming launch of the Him Unnati Yojana, aimed at fostering rural development. The government is actively developing the necessary infrastructure and will purchase cow milk at Rs. 80 per litre and buffalo milk at Rs. 100 per litre from the people. Furthermore, the state government allocated funds in the budget to provide a monthly pension of Rs. 1500 to 2.31 lakh women above the age of 18 years in the initial phase, under the 'Indira Gandhi Mahila Samman Nidhi Yojana.' The scheme will be implemented in a phased manner, covering all eligible women in the state.
 
The Chief Minister also mentioned the government's initiative to provide a subsidy of Rs. 25,000 to 20,000 meritorious girl students for the purchase of e-scooters. Moreover, he highlighted a significant policy change, wherein daughters will now be treated as separate units alongside sons under the amended Land Ceiling Act. This decision rectifies the previous practice of only considering sons as separate units in families, thereby ensuring equal rights for daughters. The Chief Minister hailed this historic decision by the state government.
 
Chief Parliamentary Secretary Kishori Lal, MLAs Sanjay Rattan, Bhawani Singh Pathania, Kewal Singh Pathania, and Malender Rajan, along with Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation R.S. Bali, Chairman of the Agriculture Development Bank Sanjay Chauhan, Vice Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Industrial Development Corporation Vishal Chambiyal, Treasurer of HPCC Dr. Rajesh Sharma, DCC President Ajay Mahajan, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Nipun Jindal, and various officers from different departments were present during these meetings.