Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on July 5 hit out at the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government, accusing it of neglecting the State’s interests, and said the Congress Government in the State was committed to ensuring balanced and uniform development of the entire State by rising above regional sentiments.
After virtually laying the foundation stone of a modern police station at Shahpur in Kangra district, from Chandigarh, the Chief Minister said that his government was working to attract investments in the IT sector to the State.
Mr. Sukhu said despite Himachal Pradesh’s challenging economic condition, there would be no shortage of funds for development. He said the government was working towards developing Kangra district as the State’s ‘tourism capital’, and to enhance the footfall of international and domestic tourists, Kangra airport would be expanded.
“The government has initiated the process of land acquisition for its [Kangra airport’s] expansion. The State Government will provide government land to the people displaced when land is acquired in the expansion process, so that no one is left homeless. The expansion of Kangra Airport will bring economic prosperity to the region,” Mr. Sukhu added.
The Chief Minister said that a Cabinet Sub-Committee, led by Agriculture Minister Professor Chander Kumar, had been formed to pursue Himachal Pradesh’s 7.19% share of Chandigarh.
Taking a dig at the previous BJP Government, Mr. Sukhu accused it of neglecting the State’s interests in various projects, particularly in power projects undertaken by SJVN Limited, a joint venture of the Union and State Governments. Mr. Sukhu said he would raise all the concerns related to the State on appropriate platforms, and also sought the cooperation of the BJP where the State’s interests were involved. “During the tenure of the previous BJP Government, nothing was done in the name of investment, except draining the State’s resources,” he alleged.
Shahpur MLA Kewal Singh Pathania said new schemes for public welfare introduced by the Congress Government in the State were the beginning of a new era in the history of Himachal Pradesh.
