Shimla: Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday said the Himachal Pradesh govt was committed to realising the vision of the state’s first chief minister, Yashwant Singh Parmar, and that implementing his ideals in letter and spirit would be the true tribute to the architect of modern Himachal.Addressing a function at the Vidhan Sabha complex on Parmar’s 120th birth anniversary, Sukhu said Parmar’s leadership and vision had secured full statehood for Himachal Pradesh and laid the foundation for a modern, educated and prosperous state with better connectivity.The chief minister said the govt was focusing on education, rural development and strengthening the village economy. He said Himachal had achieved a literacy rate of 99.30% and become a fully literate state. He also highlighted the affiliation of 156 govt schools with the CBSE and the launch of the YS Parmar Vidyarthi Rin Yojana, which provides education loans of up to Rs 20 lakh at 1% interest.Sukhu said balanced rural development was essential to check migration to urban areas. The govt was promoting natural farming, self-employment, better healthcare, roads and infrastructure to improve livelihoods in villages, he added.Speaker Kultar Singh Pathania, leader of the opposition Jairam Thakur, cabinet ministers and leaders from both the Congress and the BJP also paid tributes to Parmar, recalling his contribution to the state’s formation and development. A documentary on Parmar’s life, a photo exhibition and the release of books marked the occasion.
