Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was accorded a grand welcome on his maiden visit to Chamba. Congratulating the people of the state for the International Minjar Fair, he said that the fairs are a symbol of Himachal Pradesh’s heritage and rich culture. He said that such fairs provide us an opportunity to connect with the past and play an important role in preserving our traditions.
During his visit, the Chief Minister said that the Union Government had sent a team to assess the damages due to natural calamity and the report would be submitted in this regard. He said that he would soon visit New Delhi and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He said that the State had suffered a substantial loss of Rs. 8000 crore due to the calamity, but the people of Himachal Pradesh faced the calamity with determination.
The Chief Minister said that he personally supervised the relief and rescue operations, ensuring the swift temporary restoration of electricity and water supply to affected areas within 48 hours of the calamity. He said that the restoration efforts were ongoing, but it would require significant time and financial resources to complete. Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that due to bad weather, he could not visit Holi in the Chamba district.
However, he assured that he would plan another visit to the area shortly. He said that the Deputy Commissioner of Chamba has been instructed to ensure prompt compensation to all affected families and emphasized the importance of providing relief to all those in need. The state government had increased the compensation amount by ten folds, reflecting a compassionate approach to aid those affected, he said. Earlier, the NPS Employees Union also felicitated the Chief Minister for reinstating the Old Pension Scheme.
He said that despite the state’s legacy indebtedness of Rs. 75,000 crore, the government restored the Old Pension Scheme to its employees, aiming to ensure their dignified living and acknowledging their significant role in the state’s development. He said that the Congress party had guaranteed the restoration of OPS in its ‘Pratigya Patra,’ and this promise has been fulfilled. He also asked the opposition to support the State Government in releasing Rs. 10,000 crore stuck with the Union Government.
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