CM Sukhu on Wednesday said the state government is working on a policy to provide relief to poor and landless families living on government land for years. He said the policy would be framed after examining the Supreme Court’s guidelines on encroachment cases.
During his visit to Hamirpur, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of the new Municipal Corporation office, to be built at a cost of Rs. 19.4 crore, and inaugurated newly constructed shops and a Rural Haat worth Rs. 50 lakh for small traders and women’s self-help groups.
Addressing a public meeting, Shri Sukhu said healthcare and education remain the government’s top priorities. He announced the installation of advanced equipment in government medical colleges, recruitment of super-specialist doctors, modernisation of laboratories at a cost of Rs. 125 crore, introduction of robotic surgery, and an increase in postgraduate medical seats to strengthen healthcare services.
He said nearly Rs. 500 crore has already been released for the Hamirpur Medical College, which will soon begin functioning from its new campus at Jol Sappar. He also assured that the Himcare health insurance scheme would continue, while irregularities in its implementation would be investigated.
Highlighting education reforms, the Chief Minister said the launch of CBSE-affiliated government schools has increased enrolment by nearly 24,000 students, while recruitment through the HPPSC and Himachal Pradesh Rajya Chayan Aayog has been made transparent.
Shri Sukhu also announced that residents of newly merged areas under the Hamirpur Municipal Corporation would get a five-year exemption from municipal taxes. He said a Rs. 130-crore bus stand, the largest in the state, is under construction, while the existing bus stand site will be transformed into a Rs. 200-crore modern City Centre with shopping, entertainment, parking and other public facilities.
The Chief Minister further announced the development of a dedicated venue for Dussehra and other public events in Hamirpur and assured better facilities for street vendors. He added that five state-level offices of various departments, boards and corporations have already been established in the town, strengthening its role as a regional administrative hub.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
