CM announces opening of DSP Office and Sub-Judge Court in Bangana
Punjab Newsline, Shimla-
CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu laid the foundation stone of Turkal Panga drinking water scheme in Kutlehar Assembly constituency of Una district, to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 14.92 crore. This project will benefit over 10,000 residents of Budhan, Chamyari, Dhungle, Lathiani and Tanoh Gram Panchayats of the area. He also laid the foundation stones of Samarthya Gyandeep Library and the Samarthya Vyayamshala.
Addressing a massive public gathering on this occasion, the Chief Minister announced opening of a DSP office and Sub-Judge Court in Bangana. He also announced the opening of Primary Health Centers in Rainsari and Lathiani and stated that the Mahila Mandals present on the occasion would be granted Rs. 25,000 each. He said that the State government is committed to providing clean drinking water to the people of the State and during the next financial year, Rs. 2,000 crore will be spent on modern technology to purify water, thereby ensuring the health and well-being of the State's residents and protecting them from diseases.
The Chief Minister said that the MLA Kutlehar Vivek Sharma visits the Secretariat most frequently to get work done for the people of his constituency. He said that this reflects his spirit of service and his unwavering dedication to working for his region. He recalled that, after a gap of 32 years, a Congress MLA has finally been elected from Kutlehar. He said that the previous MLA used to visit him only to discuss his own tenders. Despite having won on the Congress party's election symbol, the former MLA betrayed the party because his intentions were not sincere. The Chief Minister asserted that honesty can never be defeated and Vivek Sharma stands as living proof of this truth. He described Vivek Sharma as a man endowed with both virtue and good fortune and urged the people of Kutlehar to continue showering their blessings upon him.
Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu hit back at the Finance Minister of Punjab, stating that the financial condition of Himachal Pradesh is far better than that of Punjab. He said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab had promised to implement the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees, but despite elections approaching, the scheme has not yet been implemented. In contrast, the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh approved OPS for its employees in its very first Cabinet meeting. He asserted that the state government will not allow the resources and assets of Himachal Pradesh to be exploited at any cost.
The Chief Minister said that both he and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri have struggled in life and understand the problems of the people, which is why the government is formulating welfare schemes for the benefit of the public. He recalled that during the natural disaster in 2023, both he and the Deputy Chief Minister remained present on the ground and personally monitored relief efforts. The state government had the responsibility of rehabilitating 23,000 affected families and safely evacuating 75,000 stranded tourists. He said the government successfully rescued the tourists and restored temporary electricity and water supply within 48 hours, reducing the hardships of the people. Despite financial constraints, the government changed several rules to rehabilitate disaster-affected families. The relief amount for completely damaged houses was increased from Rs. 1.5 lakh to Rs. 7 lakh.
The Chief Minister further said that while the state was still dealing with the natural disaster, it faced a “political disaster.” Thanking the people of Kutlehar, he said that with the blessings of the public and the local deities, the number of Congress MLAs in the Assembly has again reached 40.
Attacking the BJP, he said that the previous BJP government spent public money recklessly to win elections. He alleged that buildings worth Rs. 1,000 crore were constructed to benefit their associates, but many of them are lying vacant. He also accused the BJP of being anti-Himachal. Referring to the sacrifices of the state’s soldiers who have won four Param Vir Chakra awards, he criticized the Agniveer scheme, saying that youth are being retired after just four years of service. He also alleged that employment rights under MNREGA have been weakened and that Himachal Pradesh’s constitutional right to receive Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) has also been curtailed.
He said that during the previous BJP government, the state received Rs. 54,000 crore as RDG and Rs. 16,000 crore as GST compensation, totaling Rs. 70,000 crore. However, the present government has received only Rs. 17,000 crore as RDG. “If our government had received Rs. 70,000 crore, Himachal Pradesh would not have had even a single rupee of debt today. At present, we are forced to take loans to repay previous loans, yet we are moving steadily towards making Himachal Pradesh self-reliant,” he said.
The Chief Minister also stated that during the previous BJP government’s tenure, Himachal Pradesh had slipped to 21st position in providing quality education, but due to the efforts of the current government, the state has now reached 5th position. He said the government is opening CBSE schools, though the BJP is opposing the move. All teaching staff for these schools will be appointed within the next two months to ensure better education.
He said that the healthcare sector was in a poor condition during the previous government’s tenure, but the present government is making continuous improvements. “We are upgrading medical technology and improving medical colleges. In the coming time, the state government will spend Rs. 3,000 crore on high-end medical technology in the health sector,” he said. He added that never before had there been so many doctors in health institutions in the Kutlehar Assembly constituency, and more doctors will be posted there in the future.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that projects worth Rs. 1,000 crore are underway to supply drinking water to every corner of Una district. Drinking water supply has already been ensured for Mata Chintpurni Temple and nearby panchayats. He said a project is also underway to upgrade facilities in the temple complex so that devotees do not face any inconvenience. He added that a Rs. 47 crore drinking water project for Kutlehar will soon be approved.
Condemning the statement made by the Punjab Finance Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister said that Punjab should focus on its own situation, as the state’s debt has risen to Rs. 4.5 lakh crore. He said the Supreme Court has directed BBMB to pay Rs. 4,500 crore to Himachal Pradesh, but the payment has not yet been made. He also alleged that Punjab has occupied the Shanan Hydel Project, and Himachal’s 7.16 percent share in Chandigarh has also not been given. “Himachal Pradesh may be the younger brother, but we are being deprived of our rightful share. Instead, comments are being made against us,” he said. He added, “Just because we are not speaking does not mean Punjab has the right to make such remarks. Before pointing fingers at Himachal, Punjab should look into its own affairs. We may be from the hills, but we are not afraid of anyone.”
Mukesh Agnihotri further said that the Chief Minister is ensuring equal funding for all colleges in the state. He emphasized that providing clean drinking water is essential to keep people healthy, for which Rs. 2,000 crore will be required. He said that Kutlehar currently has two factions of BJP, one the official BJP and the other the “Bhutto BJP” and in the future as well, the path for Vivek Sharma will remain clear. He said Vivek Sharma stands with the people of Kutlehar in their joys and sorrows and is working tirelessly for the development of the constituency. “The future of Kutlehar is safe in the hands of MLA Vivek Sharma,” he said.
MLA Vivek Sharma said that during the previous BJP government, the Chief Minister rarely visited Kutlehar, whereas now Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has come to the constituency. He said the state government is allocating funds for roads in Kutlehar so that better facilities can be provided to the people. He also mentioned that Kutlehar suffered losses during the disaster, and the Congress government provided Rs. 7 lakh compensation to affected families. He added that during disasters in the previous government’s tenure, common people never received such financial support.
He further said that due to the vision of the Chief Minister, better health services are now available in the Kutlehar Assembly constituency. Thana-Kalan Hospital has been developed as a model health institution where 10 doctors and specialists from various departments are currently available. Efforts are also being made continuously to resolve the water supply issues in the area.
MLA Rakesh Kalia and Sudarshan Bablu, Chairman of the State Scheduled Caste Commission Kuldeep Dhiman, former MLA Satpal Raizada, members of the State Scheduled Caste Commission Vijay Dogra and Digvijay Malhotra, Deputy Convener of the Drug De-addiction Board Sanjay Bhardwaj, District Congress President Desraj Gautam, other Congress leaders Ram Asra Sharma, Ranjeet Rana, Vivek Minka, Rubal Thakur, senior Congress leaders, panchayat representatives and dignitaries were present on the occasion.