E-Paper
Jai Ram Thakur rules out carving new districts in Himachal
CM Jai Ram Thakur ruled out the possibility of carving new districts in Himachal. He said the main aim of the state government during the last four years was to ensure socio-economic uplift of poor
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday ruled out the possibility of carving new districts in the state. “For the time being, there is no plan to create new districts. In election years, this kind of discussions keep taking place, but there is no plan as such so far,” said the chief minister on the sidelines of a virtual conference at Hotel Peterhoff.
During the virtual conference, Jai Ram explained his budget presented in the assembly on March 4. There had been demands to create three new districts, Nurpur, Dehra and Palampur, from Kangra. Deliberations had been going on to divide Shimla into two districts. The party had been contemplating creating Mahasu district from Shimla and Sundernagar from Mandi.
The annual budget for 2022-23 outlines need-based modifications in the ongoing schemes and also proposes an increase in the outlays of many schemes, besides having its orientation towards all-round and inclusive development of the state, Jai Ram said while addressing the virtual conference, Jan Samvad programme on Budget 2022-23, from Peterhoff here on Sunday.
He said it was for the first time that a chief minister was interacting directly with the masses after presenting the annual budget of the state.
He said that the main aim of the state government during the last four years was to ensure the socio-economic uplift of the poor and the downtrodden. He said all schemes, policies and programmes of the state government aimed at uplifting the person living at the lowest ebb. He said the very first decision of the state government was the welfare of the elderly and another to ensure proper shelter to abandoned cattle.
He said ₹500 was being provided per month per cattle in cow sanctuaries and “gau sadans”, which now has been increased to ₹700 per month per cow in the budget 2022-23.
The chief minister said over two-year tenure of the state government was adversely affected due to the pandemic. He said despite all odds, the government succeeded in tackling this crisis with active cooperation and support from the Centre and the people of the state.
He said a budget of ₹51,365 crore was presented by him on the 4th of this month, which aims at the welfare of every section of society and the development of every area of the state.
Jai Ram said he had announced in the budget to reduce the age limit for old-age pension irrespective of income to 60 years for all. He said all such pensioners who were currently getting a pension of ₹850 per month will now get ₹1,000 per month, whereas such pensioners who are currently getting a pension of ₹1,000 per month would now get ₹1,500 per month and all such pensioners who were currently getting a pension of ₹1,500 per month will now get ₹1,700 per month.
He said women in the age group of 60 to 65 years would also be entitled to an old-age pension without any income limit. He said 7.50 lakh beneficiaries would now benefit from the old-age pension schemes and ₹1,300 crore would be spent. He said the gender budget statement has been presented for the first time along with other budget documents.
