Himachal CM Sukhu announces upgradation of Kotla Police Post

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], January 18 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, during his two-day visit to the Jawali assembly constituency in Kangra district, addressed a large public gathering in Jawali and announced the upgradation of the Kotla Police Post to a full-fledged police station, as per the official release.
According to the release, Sukhu also declared the commencement of science classes at Government Senior Secondary School Siddhpur Ghad and Trilokpur Bari and medical classes at Government Senior Secondary Schools Amlela and Paloda. Additionally, he assured adequate funding for a multipurpose sports ground in Jawali.
Attacking the previous BJP government, the CM accused it of distributing benefits worth Rs 5,000 crore for electoral gains, opening 900 institutions six months before the elections without staff or budget, and lowering the quality of public services. He said that under the previous BJP government, Himachal Pradesh slipped to the 21st position in the country in terms of quality education, and healthcare services also declined, as per the release.
The CM emphasised that the current government, despite facing numerous challenges in its two-year tenure, has taken bold and reformative decisions for Vyavstha Parivartan. "Sometimes tough decisions have to be made, but their positive results will be visible soon," he stated.
The CM also highlighted ongoing initiatives to streamline subsidies and encourage financially capable individuals to opt out of them. "Over 1,000 people have already surrendered their electricity subsidy, and more are coming forward," he noted. He said that the government would restart the Below Poverty Line (BPL) survey in April to ensure rightful beneficiaries receive their due.
He said that during last year's disaster, the government released Rs 4,500 crore. A special relief package was provided without any assistance from the central government. Criticising the BJP, he said, "Despite difficult times, the BJP failed to stand with the people of Himachal and did not secure a single rupee as a special relief from the centre."
The Chief Minister said the present state government had taken numerous steps to ensure the well-being of its citizens, including the adoption of 6,000 orphans as "Children of the State," covering the educational expenses of 23,000 children of widows, and reintroducing the old pension scheme for 1.36 lakh government employees.
He also discussed steps to boost the rural economy, such as purchasing cow milk at Rs. 45 per litre and buffalo milk at Rs. 55 per litre, along with procurement rates of Rs. 3 per kg for cow dung, Rs. 30 per kg for naturally grown maize, and Rs. 40 per kg for wheat.
Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Chander Kumar expressed gratitude to the CM for developmental initiatives in the Jawali constituency, including boosting tourism potential. He noted that the area attracts numerous migratory birds and holds great opportunities for ecotourism. He also praised the CM's leadership during last year's disaster, which included resolving lakhs of pending revenue cases through Lok Adalats and implementing policies to support farmers.
Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, Ayush Minister Yadvinder Goma, State Planning Board Vice-Chairman Bhawani Singh Pathania, former MLA Ajay Mahajan, Kangra Central Cooperative Bank Chairman Kuldeep Singh Pathania, APMC Chairman Narendra Mongra, Congress leader Surender Mankotia, SC Commission Chairman Kuldeep Dhiman, and senior officials like DC Hemraj Bairwa and SP Ashok Rattan were also present, amongst others. (ANI)