Shimla: With the government unable to enforce 70 percent job reservations for state residents in industries and power projects being executed, chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal let the Vidhan Sabha know today that the government would formulate a new policy that would have penal provisions where violations are noticed.
Intervening during question hour to a question raised by Nand Lal, congress legislator from Rampur, Dhumal said that the government would come out with a concrete policy that would ensure fulfilment of the condition of providing 70% employment to Himachal residents in industries and power projects.
The new policy would provide for penal action should some unit not abide by the 70 % job reservation condition, he said.
The chief minister said that the present Industrial Policy did not have any provisions to penalise the units which were not following the rule of providing 70% job reservations.
Dhumal let the house know that besides the 1000 MW Karcham Wangtu Power Project in Kinnaur district being executed by Jai Prakash Group, almost all other hydel projects were abiding by providing 70% reservation to Himachali residents.
Earlier, industry minister Krishan Kapoor, let the house know that 1324 state residents were employed in power projects being executed in Satluj basin during January 1, 2008 to October 10, 2008 period.
Health minister Rajiv Bindal, in response to a question by Roop Singh Thakur, BJP MLA from Sundernagar stated that the government was serious about upgrading RP Medical College, Tanda.
The upgradation was being taken up under Pardhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna-II whereby Rss 150 crores is expected to be spent for enhancing infrastructure and providing for super specialty facilities.
The state would spend Rs 25 crores while the balance Rs 125 crores would be contributed by the Central Governmentâ€, said Bindal.
Dispelling criticism over recruitments made by Rogi Kalyan Samithis, the health minister said that salaries of the staff  being recruited was being borne by the government and not from the Samthi funds.
Education minister ID Dhiman , in response to Kaul Singh congress legislators question said that there were 73 B.Ed. colleges in the state with total intake of 8725 students per session, of which 59 colleges were opened in the regime of the previous state Congress government.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads the team of media professionals at Hill Post.
In a career spanning over two decades through all formats of journalism in Electronic, Print and Online Media, he brings with him enough experience to steer this platform. He lives in Shimla.
