Shimla: Under fire over land issues, chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal declared that the government would provide 2 biswa of land for rural landless families for house construction even as he announced the Rs 311 pay arrears of employees would be released for Diwali.
Speaking at public meeting in Solan, Dhumal said that the government had already released Rs 5100 Crore to state employees.
Reiterating the government resolve to weaker sections, scheduled castes and tribes he said that scheduled caste sub plan component had been increased from 11% to 25% and Rs 862 crore was being spent under this plan in the current year.
A scholarship program started in 1998 was benefitting 2000 scheduled caste students by providing Rs 10,000 to meritorious students which was costing Rs 9 Cr to the state exechequer, he said. For students pursuing MBBS, the government was providing scholarships upto Rs 30,000 to poor students, he added.
Laying the blame of rising prices of essential commodities at the central government door, the chief minister said that the common man was bearing the brunt because of wrong policies being pursued by the UPA government.
“The state was providing Rs 100 Cr subsidy on an annual basis to make essential food grains available to ration card holders,†he said.
Earlier Rajeev Bindal, health minister said that the Atal Swasthya Sewa was helping in providing healthcare to the people. The government was providing many health services free of cost by spending Rs 18.5 crores, he said.
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.
