The 46th Statehood Day of Himachal Pradesh was celebrated at Jaisinghpur in Kangra district with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh presiding over the function. He hoisted the National flag and took salute from the impressive march past by contingents of Police, Home Guards, NCC cadets and schoolchildren.
The Chief Minister said January 25 was a historic day for the people of Himachal Pradesh as this hilly State got Statehood status on this day. He remembered first Chief Minister of the State Dr. Y.S. Parmar and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who played a significant role in getting statehood status for the State in 1971.
He said that the real credit of the unprecedented development goes to the hardworking people of the state and also to the leadership provided by successive Congress governments at the Centre and the State.
Singh announced Sub-Divisional offices at Nagrota-Bagwan and Shahpur, HPSEB division at Jawalamukhi, DSP office and Fire Brigade unit at Jaisinghpur and up-gradation of Panchrukhi police post to fully fledged Police Station in Kangra district.
The Chief Minister said Dharamshala had been made second Municipal Corporation to ensure is planned development. He said Chadiar, Haripur, Gangath, Panchrukhi, Alampur and Darini were made Sub-Tehsils and Dadasiba as Tehsil by the present government. Apart from this, a new sub-division had been approved for Jawalamukhi whereas Tehsil Welfare Offices had been opened at Shahpur, Nagrota-Bagwan and at Rakkar in Pragpur in Dehra sub-division.
On the development in Kangra district during last three years, he said a sum of Rs. 26 crore was being spent under Rajeev Gandhi Electrification programme and to give fillip to tourism in the district, approval had been given for Himani-Chamunda rope-way and the foundation stone of rope-way between Dharamsala to Macleodganj had been laid which would be completed within one and a half years.
He said 166 kilometres of new roads and 29 bridges were constructed in the district, adding that a decision had also been taken to open Football academy at Dharamshala.
He said the state government had adopted its election manifesto as a policy document and had gone beyond to fulfill the promises made in the manifesto. Around 1365.65 kilometers of new motor-able roads and 134 bridges were constructed during last three years and 255 villages had been provided road connectivity.
He said 994 new schools had been opened or upgraded and 25 new degree colleges have been opened in rural areas during last three years. More than 100 health institutions were opened or upgraded and 1775 posts of various categories had been created for three new medical colleges to be opened shortly in the State.