E-Paper
CM Jai Ram doles out sops for Jubbal-Kotkhai ahead of bypoll
The CM said sub-divisional magistrate offices will be opened in Jubbal as well as Kotkhai and the procurement price for apple will be enhanced by ₹1 per kilogram under the market intervention scheme
With an on the Jubbal-Kotkhai byelection, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Friday doled out sops for the assembly segment in Shimla district on Friday.
The CM said sub-divisional magistrate offices will be opened in Jubbal as well as Kotkhai and the procurement price for apple will be enhanced by ₹1 per kilogram under the market intervention scheme.
He also announced opening of a block development office at Kotkhai, a fire sub-station at Tikkar sub-tehsil at Kalbog and shifting of the sub-tehsil office and police station, Sawara (Saraswati Nagar) to the new building of the HP Power Corporation Ltd.
He said ₹ 20 lakh each will be provided to the nine newly created panchayats in the Rohru and Jubbal-Kotkhai Vidhan Sabha area for construction of panchayat bhawans.
The CM paid tribute to former minister Narinder Bragta and remembered his contribution to the apple belt of the state.
Urban development minister Suresh Bhardwaj said apple growers used to be fleeced by the commission agents at different markets across the country, but now several markets had come up in the state due to the efforts of the BJP governments. He said that ₹ 20 crore each had been sanctioned for the construction of fruit and vegetable markets at Mehandli (Rohru) and Bhattakuffar (Shimla).
Segment meted out step motherly treatment: Rohit Thakur
Meanwhile, slamming the BJP government, former Congress MLA from the Jubbal-Kotkhai segment Rohit Thakur, who is the son of former chief minister Ram Lal Thakur, said the constituency had been overlooked over the last three-and-a-half years.
“Now, that elections are around the corner the BJP is making tall claims about development, which never actually took place,” Thakur said, adding that the highest Covid cases had been reported in the region, while the BJP leaders remained oblivious.
He accused the ministers of being “political tourists” who only visited the area when elections are in the offing.
He said the BJP was started making empty promises to the people of Jubbal-Kotkhai. “The Prem Kumar Dhumal-led BJP government (2007-2012) had set aside ₹1,600 crores for Jubbal-Kotkhai but nothing materialised on ground. Similarly, the BJP government has not filled the posts it had created over the last two years. The promise of a trauma centre in Kotkhai has also proved hallow.”
“Jubbal Kotkhai got nothing under the Central Road Fund, NABARD Schemes and World Bank funded projects,” he said, adding that farmers who lost their crop due to unseasonal hailstorm and rain were still awaiting compensation.
The ₹ 1,134 crore horticulture project was the fruition of Congress’ efforts, but the ruling government is taking credit for it. Meanwhile, three controlled atmosphere stores sanctioned for the area the subsidy on fungicides, and insecticides was were shelved, he said.
