Shimla: Marking the 79th Himachal Day celebrations, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday announced relief for Class I and Class II govt officers, saying that the state govt had decided to withdraw its decision to defer their salaries. The CM also announed an allowance of Rs 1,500 per month for women of Kinnaur district who are aged 21 years or more and have an annual income of less than Rs 2 lakh. The payouts will begin this month as part of the ‘Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi’. The CM also announced one honorary higher rank for eligible dedicated non-gazetted police officers on the day of their retirement.Sukhu clarified that the temporary deferment of 30% and 20% in the salaries of the CM, the ministers, the MLAs, the chief secretary, the DGP and other senior officers would continue for six months as announced in the budget speech last month.A state-level function was held at Reckong Peo in Kinnaur district, where the CM unfurled the national flag and took the salute at the march past.The CM stated that the pending gratuity and leave encashment of Class IV employees who retired between Jan 1, 2016, and Dec 31, 2021, would be cleared by May, involving an expenditure of Rs 50 crore.He further said all govt institutions, schools and households in Reckong Peo would be connected with a geothermal-powered central heating system. The CM also allocated Rs 8 crore for constructing a traffic tunnel to connect Taranda village, and announced the upgrade of Choltu High School to a senior secondary school under the CBSE curriculum.Sukhu announced that Kinnaur’s polytechnic college, currently operating from Rohru, would soon be shifted to Urni in Kinnaur. He also assured that the Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding School under construction in Reckong Peo would be completed within six months.The CM noted that the 4-km Nigulsari-Bhavanagar road, built at a cost of Rs 12 crore, had been completed, benefiting residents of both Kinnaur and Spiti.Sukhu also highlighted the launch of heli-taxi services between Reckong Peo and Shimla, crediting revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi, who was also present at the function, for his efforts.He further said work was being initiated on the 125-km 66-kV Pooh-Kaza transmission line at a cost of Rs 415 crore. The project will benefit around 17,500 residents of Kinnaur and Spiti Valley, said the CM, adding that the survey for the 45-km Sumdo-Kaza stretch had already been completed.On border development, Sukhu announced that trade with China through Shipki La was set to resume from June 1. The state govt has also taken up the issue of restarting the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the same route with the Centre. Efforts to promote border tourism, he said, were already yielding positive results, boosting local livelihoods.MSID:: 130281258 413 |
