Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday said that the State Government is committed to strengthen the panchayati raj institutions in the state.
The Chief Minister was addressing the Swaran Jayanti Panch Parmeshwar Gram Swaraj Sammelan at Jogindernagar in Mandi district. Thakur performed inaugurations and foundation stones laying ceremonies of developmental projects worth Rs 110 crore at Chauntra in Jogindernagar Vidhan Sabha area.
He said that this shows that the pace of development has been expedited during the last three and a half years. The developmental projects worth crores of rupees were being implemented in Jogindernagar constituency.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Government ensured that the pace of development goes uninterrupted for which he laid foundation stones and inaugurated developmental projects worth Rs 4000 crore in about 42 Vidhan Sabha areas of the State virtually from Shimla, he said.
The Chief Minister further said that the government would provide all possible help to ensure that the elected representatives of PRIs could function smoothly.
He also urged the elected members of PRIs to identify beneficiaries of various welfare schemes launched by the State Government so that the benefits of the development could reach the people living at the lowest ebb.
Thakur said that the State Government is providing old age pensions to over 5 lakh old age persons in the State. Almost 3.17 lakh free gas connections were provided in the State under the Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojna, he said.