Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 6 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that a Rajiv Gandhi day-boarding school would be established in Chhatar to strengthen educational facilities in the region.

He also assured that all the demands raised by Himachal Pradesh SC-ST Commission Chairman Lal Singh Kaushal and Congress leader Naresh Chauhan would be fulfilled.

As part of the government's support to grassroots organisations, the Chief Minister further announced financial assistance of Rs 51,000 each for all the women's groups present at the event.

Speaking about the state's financial situation, the Chief Minister said that the 16th Finance Commission has discontinued the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) of Rs 10,000 crore annually, which Himachal Pradesh had been receiving as part of its rightful financial support.

He stated that during the previous BJP government's five-year tenure, the state received Rs 54,000 crore as RDG and Rs 16,000 crore as GST compensation. He added that if financial discipline had been maintained during that period, the state's debt could have been reduced by nearly Rs 30,000 crore. He also criticised the previous government for constructing buildings worth about Rs 1,000 crore across the state that are currently lying vacant.

The Chief Minister said that the present government received Rs 17,000 crore in RDG, which will also cease from the next financial year. Despite these financial challenges, the government has cleared the pending 14 per cent Dearness Allowance and released arrears for citizens above the age of 70.

He remarked that if the current government had received financial support on the same scale as the previous administration, Himachal Pradesh could have been debt-free by now.

Highlighting development initiatives in Mandi district, Chief Minister Sukhu noted that although the BJP had won nine seats from the district and the previous Chief Minister also belonged to the area, the condition of Nerchowk Medical College remained poor during that time. He announced that robotic surgery services have now been introduced at the medical college in Nerchowk.

While such procedures generally cost around Rs 5 lakh in private hospitals, they will now be available at the state medical college for approximately Rs 50,000. He also informed that Rs 12 crore has been allocated to establish a Cath Lab at the institution.

The Chief Minister reiterated that the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) will never be discontinued in Himachal Pradesh. He said that the Congress government restored OPS in its very first cabinet meeting and clarified that the decision was not taken for political reasons.

As the son of a government employee, he said he understands the concerns of employees and assured that the government will continue to safeguard their interests and ensure payment of arrears while addressing all financial challenges.

Criticising the BJP, the Chief Minister described the party as anti-Himachal. He said that during the natural disasters in the state, BJP leaders repeatedly demanded a special assembly session while the Congress government was actively engaged in providing relief to affected families.

However, when a proposal was brought forward in the assembly to seek a special relief package from the central government for Himachal Pradesh, BJP legislators walked out while raising slogans.

He stated that the government had amended rules to provide better assistance to disaster-affected families because it understands the hardships faced by ordinary citizens. In 2023, families whose houses were completely destroyed received Rs 7 lakh in assistance, which has now been increased to Rs 8 lakh this year.

The Chief Minister further said that the state government convened an all-party meeting on the issue of RDG, but the BJP failed to stand united for the rights of Himachal Pradesh. He emphasised that if the state receives its rightful financial share, it will not have to seek support from others.

Speaking about education reforms, he said the previous BJP government distributed nearly Rs 5,000 crore in election-time freebies and opened several institutions just six months before elections without ensuring proper staffing. Many schools and health institutions were upgraded without appointing additional employees, forcing staff to be transferred from other institutions and adversely affecting services in both places.

He noted that due to the lack of teacher recruitment during that period, Himachal Pradesh slipped to the 21st position in the country in terms of quality education.

Chief Minister Sukhu said that the present government has filled numerous vacant posts and taken significant steps to improve the education system, enabling Himachal Pradesh to rise to the 5th position nationally in terms of quality education. He added that the government has initiated the opening of CBSE-pattern schools across the state.

He announced that three schools in the Nachan constituency will be converted into CBSE-pattern schools and that 3,000 CBSE teachers will be recruited within the next three months.

'A list of corrupt individuals has been prepared, they will be sent behind bars,' said the Chief Minister. He said that no person involved in the chitta (drug) trade will be spared. Employees found involved will be dismissed, and the properties of chitta traffickers will be destroyed.

Nachan MLA Vinod Kumar stated that he was continuously working for the development of his constituency and will fully support the government's campaign to make Himachal Pradesh a drug-free state. Himachal Pradesh SC-ST Commission Chairman Lal Singh Kaushal expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for inaugurating and laying foundation stones for various development projects.

State Water Management Board Vice-Chairman Shashi Sharma described Chief Minister Sukhu as a sensitive and visionary leader and highlighted several welfare initiatives undertaken by the government.

The event was attended by MLA's Sunder Singh Thakur and Inder Singh Gandhi, former minister Prakash Chaudhary, former MLAs Sohan Singh Thakur and Bamber Thakur, District Congress President Champa Thakur, APMC Mandi Chairman Sanjeev Guleria, Skill Development Corporation coordinator Atul Kadohta, member of the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission Vijay Pal Singh, Congress leaders Pawan Thakur, Naresh Chauhan, Lal Singh Kaushal, Jeevan Thakur and Jagdish Reddy, Chief Minister's Secretary Ashish Singhmar, Deputy Commissioner Mandi Apoorv Devgan, Superintendent of Police Mandi Vinod Kumar and several other dignitaries. (ANI)