Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Sunday laid the foundation stone of the `118.5-cr Mahatma Gandhi Engineering College at Kotla in Jeuri of district Shimla.
The non-residential block of the college will comprise of an administrative block, lecture theatre, civil and mechanical engineering blocks, workshop, applied sciences block, library and computer centre besides the residential block having hostel facilities for over 400 boys and girls.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated sewerage system for Jhakri completed at a cost of `11.50 crore. The scheme will cover three habitations having population of 1130 people.
While addressing a public meeting at Jeuri, the Chief Minister said that the college would cater to the needs of the youth of the area besides nearby areas of Recknog-peo and Pooh in Kinnaur district. He said the classes have been started in Sundernagar for the time being.
Slamming the opposition BJP, Virbhadra Singh said that the present State Government put an end to Jagirdari System, made ‘Mujaras’(Occupancy tenants) the owner of the land and implemented various schemes for the welfare of the people as opposite to BJP, which kept on dividing the people on the lines of religion and region.
“It is sad to say that there was tension prevailing amongst people of particular religion in the country,” said he adding that the political parties ruling the nation do not have their own religion, they have to work for the welfare of the people at large irrespective of region and religion.
The Government at the Centre needs to ponder over the same, said the Chief Minister.
Virbhadra Singh said that the present Congress Government is ensuring overall and balanced development of the State adding that it was the Congress Governments at the Centre which gave special status to the hill States of the country including Himachal Pradesh for ensuring speedy development.
Today, there are 18500 Government schools, 94 degree colleges, 34000 kilometres of roads, many irrigational and drinking water schemes, hydel projects, number of health institutions etc which showed the developmental milestones, the State had achieved since its creation, he added.
On the occasion, Transport and Technical education Minister, GS Bali said it is a matter of pride for the people of the area to have an engineering college as the construction of the same will start soon.
He said that initially, there is a batch of 80 students taking classes in Sundernagar. Already, a provision of `12 crore had been made for the construction of the engineering college.
The Minister said that the Government had opened three new engineering colleges and five Polytechnic institutes besides over a dozen Industrial Training Institutes.
He took a jibe at the BJP for making the people of the country dream of ‘Ache Din’ and added that the Bihar elections showed dust to BJP and their ‘Bure Din’ (bad days) have started.
The Minister said that the policies of the BJP were framed to benefit the rich and the business community. The rates of pulses, edible oil have sky rocketed, he added.