DW BUREAU / UNA Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over Pragtisheel Himachal : Sathapna Ke 75 Varsh' programme at Gondpur Banehra in Gagret Vidhan Sabha area of Una district, thanked every citizen of Himachal Pradesh for their contribution in making the State strong and vibrant over these 75 years. He said that today when the whole nation was celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Himachal Pradesh was also celebrating 75 years of its existence. He said that the State Government was celebrating this event in a befitting manner to thank everyone who has contributed towards making the State where it stands today. He said that this initiative of the State Government was not going well with the Congress leaders, which was unfortunate and uncalled for. He said that the Congress leaders were seeing political motive in celebration of this historic event, which shows the mindset of their leaders. He said that the State over these years has made unprecedented development and credit of this goes to every Himachali and vision of leadership provided by successive governments. He said that the literacy rate at the time of formation of the State was only 4.8 per cent, whereas today it has gone upto over 83 percent. Road length which at that time was 228 kilometers has today gone upto 39,500 kilometers and number of educational institutions from 301 in 1948 to 16,124 today, he added. He said that the present State Government was also about to complete its present tenure which would be remembered for several welfare and development oriented schemes aimed at welfare of the vulnerable sections of the society. He said that daily wages of the daily wagers was enhanced by Rs. 50 per day and record increase has been made in honorarium of Para workers to provide them relief. He said that social security pension of various categories was increased and the Government was spending over Rs. 1300 crore as compared to Rs. 400 crore spent by the previous Congress Government. He said that the double engine Government of the Centre and the State ensured that the pace of development goes uninterrupted and also gets accelerated. He said that Bulk Drug Pharma Park has been sanctioned for the State, which would prove a blessing for the whole State and Una district in particular would be immensely benefited from the Project as it would provide employment to over 50,000 youths of the State. Jai Ram Thakur said that it was strange that the Congress Government never thought of helping the poor and the vulnerable sections of the society. He said that it was the present State Government that started Sahara Yojana to provide Rs. 3000 per month to families with critically ill patients, Rs. 31000 to a girl of BPL family under Shagun Yojana, free gas connections under Grihini Suvidha Yojana, Rs. 5 lakh health cover under HIMCARE Yojana, 50 percent concession on bus fare in HRTC buses and 125 units free power to every domestic consumer. He said that the Congress leaders were even opposing these welfare decisions of the State Government by alleging that the Government was making people of the State habitual of freebies. Now the same leaders who were giving ten guarantees were claiming that they would provide 300 units power free once voted to power, he said. Referring to the development of Gagret Vidhan Sabha, Chief Minister said that Rs. 235 crore have been spent on the work of channelization of Swan river in the area and SDM office has been opened at Gagret. He said that various water supply schemes were being executed in the area to facilitate the people. He announced that a provision of Rs. 40 lakh would be made for construction of boundary wall in the ground where this public meeting was held. He said that a 'Saheed Samarak' would also be constructed in the constituency. (editor@dailyworld.in)