Government ensuring equitable and balanced development across all regions: Chief Minister

·        Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu addresses public meeting at Bajaura

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while addressing a public meeting at Bajaura said that the state government’s objective was to enhance the income of people in rural areas and ensure that the economic conditions of rural areas were strengthened. With this objective, the government was paying special attention to making the rural households and villages self-reliant. He said that the government was committed to ensuring equitable and balanced development across all regions of Himachal Pradesh.

The Chief Minister made the statement after inaugurating and laying the foundation stones of 25 developmental projects worth Rs. 206 crore at the Public Works Department Rest House in Bajaura, under the Banjar Assembly constituency and at Piridi, under the Kullu Assembly constituency.

The Chief Minister said that when his government assumed office, the procurement price of cow milk in the state was Rs. 32 per litre. “Our government decided to provide adequate Minimum Support Price (MSP) on milk procurement, doubling the MSP on cow milk to Rs. 61 per litre. This was done to facilitate the cattle rearers and ensure they get good return for their hard labour, resulting in higher incomes for them. As a result the rural households were increasingly becoming self-reliant,” said the Chief Minister. Similarly, the MSP on Buffalo milk has been increased to Rs. 71 per litre.

Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu added that the state government was taking several effective measures to strengthen the economic condition of farmers and horticulturists. To ensure fair prices for their produce, the government was facilitating access to markets across the country and the state, while also extending all possible assistance to help them reach international markets.

As a result of these efforts, 113 metric tonnes of Sindoori pomegranates produced in Kullu district have been exported to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

He further stated that the procurement price of apples under the Market Intervention Scheme has recently been increased by Rs. 1 per kilogram. Apples will now be procured at Rs. 13 per kilogram instead of the earlier rate of Rs. 12 per kilogram.

Sh. Sukhu said that the state government has recently secured a major victory for Himachal Pradesh’s interests in the Kishau Dam Project. Following the construction of the project, Himachal Pradesh is expected to receive annual benefits of approximately Rs. 1,200 crore to Rs. 1,500 crore.

The Chief Minister congratulated the people of the region on the various inauguration ceremonies and foundation stone-laying events held in the area.

Later, a delegation representing Tandi village also met the Chief Minister and expressed gratitude to him for various development works in the area.