DW BUREAU / shimla Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, while addressing the massive public meeting at Renuka ji, in Renuka ji Assembly Constituency area of Sirmour district today as part of 'Pragatisheel Himachal: Sathapna Ke 75 Varsh' programme, being celebrated to commemorate 75 years of existence of Himachal Pradesh, said that the State Government has effectively taken up the issue of according tribal status to Hatti Community of the district and the Centre Government would soon come up with good news for the people of Sirmour in general and Hatti community in particular. Chief Minister said that when today the whole nation was celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Himachal Pradesh was also celebrating 75 years of its existence. He said that Sirmour district was a pioneer in the existence of the State as it was the son of the soil Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar, who not only spearheaded the struggle for separate identity for the State, but he also served as the first Chief Minister of the State. He said that the State during all these years ensured splendid progress in all spheres of development. Jai Ram Thakur said that the State Government has decided to celebrate this historic occasion in a befitting manner. He said that this has been done to pay respect and recognize the services of the people who had made his/her contribution for making Himachal Pradesh where it stands today. Chief Minister said that the State had made unmatched progress in all spheres of development. He said that the literacy rate which was only 4.8 per cent at the time of formation of Himachal Pradesh has today gone up to 83 percent. He said that road length has gone from 288 kms in 1948 to 39,500 kms and the number of health institutions from 88 in the year 1948 to 4320 today. He said that there were only 301 educational institutions in the State at the time of its formation, whereas today the number has gone up to 16,124. He said that per capita income was only Rs. 240 which today has crossed the magical mark of Rs. 2 lakh. He said that people of the State used to cross rivers with the help of inflated skin of buffalo, whereas today there are over 2,326 bridges in the State. Jai Ram Thakur said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has special attachment with the people of the State. He said that the Prime Minister considers Himachal Pradesh as his second home. He said that during the present tenure of the State Government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited the State seven times. He said that during his visit to Shimla on the occasion of completion of eight years tenure of the NDA Government at Centre, the Prime Minister walked through The Mall Road and even interacted with the people. He said that it was strange that these visits of the Prime Minister were not going well with opposition leaders. He reminded these leaders that it was due to the benevolence of the Prime Minister that the State got special financial assistance of Rs. 800 crore and also decided to provide 90:10 shares of the Centre and State in Central developmental projects. (editor@dailyworld.in)