Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the horticulture sector has an important contribution in strengthening the rural economy. After tourism and renewable energy sector, horticulture and agriculture were the most important sectors which can increase the income of farmers and strengthen the rural economy.
He said this while interacting with the students of Horticulture and Forestry College Neri in Hamirpur district and gave them valuable suggestions as how to achieve their goals. Chief Minister announced two crore rupees for the boy’s hostel of Neri College. He emphasized the importance of horticulture in strengthening the rural economy and also announced plans to introduce new courses, including bioinformatics in the college so that the student could shape their future by adopting and getting attuned to the latest technology.
He highlighted the government’s efforts to promote green energy and rural development. He mentioned that the state government aims to make Himachal Pradesh a green energy state by 2026 and was working towards it.He said that in future, e-vehicles would be provided to all g the government departments in a phased manner. He said that a one megawatt capacity green hydrogen plant is being installed in Nalagarh with the cooperation of Oil India Company. Apart from this, a 32 megawatt solar power project has been completed in Pekhubela of Una district in a record four months.
The Chief Minister also spoke about the government’s initiatives in education and healthcare, including the opening of Rajiv Gandhi Day-Boarding Schools and the merger of schools with less than five students and futuristic courses were being started in educational institutions on the basis of need, so that qualitative education can be provided to the students. He emphasized the need for qualitative education and healthcare services in the state. As many as 850 educational institutions of the state were being developed as Institutes of Excellence, he said.
The Chief Minister also detailed about the schemes for uplift of dairy farmers and the harsh measures the government was adopting to enhance its revenue through the existing resources. The previous BJP government has pushed the State in fiscal debt and we were making every effort to bring back the derailed economy from the existing resources.
He also mentioned about the OPS to 1.36 lakh employees. He made mention of filling up the posts of doctors and para-medical staff in the health Institutions of the State, particularly in Tanda medical college, Atal Super Specialty Institute, Chamiyana and in IGMC Shimla.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also released two books of the university ‘Basic Techniques of Micro Propagation and Molecular Biology’ and ‘Value Added Products of Guava’.
MLAs Suresh Kumar and Captain Ranjit Rana, Chairman Kangra Cooperative Bank Kuldeep Pathania, Chairman Kangra Cooperative Primary Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Ram Chandra Pathania, Chairman APMC Ajay Sharma, former MLA’s Anita Verma and Manjit Dogra, were also present on the occasion along with other dignitaries.