SHIMLA-14^th November, 2024-While presiding over the closing ceremony of the four-day long international Lavi fair, Rampur in Shimla district today, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced a special relief package for disaster-affected Samej and Bagi bridge regions of Rampur area during the rainy season this year on the pattern of relief package given last year.

The Chief Minister said that families who lost their homes entirely in the disaster would receive Rs. 7 lakh rather than the previous amount of Rs. 1.5 lakh while those with partially damaged homes would receive Rs. 1 lakh as compensation. The families of the individuals who went missing in these and other disaster-affected areas would be provided death certificates and financial assistance from the state government.

He stated, “I come from a common family, so I understand the struggles of common people well.” He also said that the state government rehabilitated 23,000 affected families last year and provided a special economic package of Rs. 4,500 crore without any support from the central government.

The Chief Minister criticized the previous BJP government for squandering public funds and said that present State government was closing loopholes in corruption and redirecting funds towards welfare initiatives for orphans, widows and other vulnerable groups. He said that more welfare schemes for the general public would be introduced in the upcoming budget. He also stressed that while needy families would retain their subsidy benefits, affluent families would be encouraged to give up such benefits voluntarily.

He said that the state government was committed to strengthen the education and health sectors. “It is the state government’s responsibility to provide education to each child, but without proper teachers and facilities, it will be a betrayal of public trust.” To address this, 3,000 teachers had already been appointed on batch-wise basis while another 3,000 appointments are underway. Additional staff were being appointed to reduce patient referrals in health institutions by ensuring adequate doctors and paramedical staff was available.

The Chief Minister said that the state government reinstated the old pension scheme to its employees and has begun providing Rs. 1,500 monthly pension to illegible women. He said that if Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (SJVNL) fails to comply with the state’s energy policy, the Himachal Pradesh government would take over 210 MW Luhri Stage-I, 382 MW Sunni and 66 MW Dhaulasidh hydroelectric projects, with the SJVNL given until January 15, 2025, to meet compliance.

Extending greetings of Lavi fair, Shri Sukhu said that such events reinforce cultural heritage, although he was unable to attend it last year and this year he is pleased to witness the fair’s 300-year legacy.

Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh welcomed the Chief Minister to Rampur Bushahr and commended the fair as a symbol of cultural heritage and trade exchange. He praised the Shri Sukhu-led government for equitable development across the state, saying that it has worked with a spirit of public service, beyond regional or political divisions. He credited the Congress-led government for the robust disaster response and ongoing development throughout the state, with around Rs. 250 crore allocated for road projects in Rampur alone.

The Chief Minister gave away prizes to the winners of the exhibitions put up by the departments and other agencies on the occasion. In the departmental exhibition, the Jal Shakti department stood first and won Rs. 5100 and memento while the Health and Family Welfare Department got second and the Animal Husbandry Department third position and received Rs. 3100 and Rs. 2100 respectively.

In the Handicraft exhibition, the first prize went to Manju of Solan district, second prize to Sudarshan Singh of Kinnaur district and third prize to Shri Rajiv Kumar of Una district and awarded Rs. 5100, Rs.3100 and Rs. 2100 respectively alongwith mementoes. In Handloom exhibition, Bhimsen of Sangla received first prize of Rs. 5100 whereas second prize was gone to Dharam Lal of Rekong Peo with Rs. 3100 and third prize of Rs. 2100 to Vidya Sagar of Chasu .

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated and laid foundation stones of six development projects worth Rs. 31 crore for Rampur area. He inaugurated Rs. 8.26 crore augmentation and remodelling of GWSS group of villages in Sholi panchayat, teshil Nankhari, Rs. 8.68 crore sewerage system in ward No. 9 Khaneri, Rampur, Rs. 2.97 crore Sub Tehsil Office building Sarahan, and Rs. 3.11 crore Science Lab in Government Secondary School, Khunni, tehsil Nankhari. He also laid foundation stones of augmentation of WSS in Gram Panchayat Bhadawali Duttnagar, tehsil Rampur and Rs. 2.50 crore tehsil office building Nankhari.

Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap, who is also the chairman of the International Lavi Fair organizing committee briefed about various events held during the fair.

APMC Shimla Chairman Devanand Verma, Zila Parishad President Chandraprabha Negi, Congress leader Buddhi Singh Thakur, Municipal Council Rampur President Muskan and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.