Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal declared that Rs. 102-cr drinking water supply scheme for 58 gram panchayats of Ghumarwin and adjoining areas would be executed to permanently solve drinking water supply problem to entire population in the area. He said it while addressing a public meeting at Galahi Chowk, Hatwar, in Ghumarwin Sub-Division of district Bilaspur. CM also performed foundation stone of Lift Drinking Water Supply Scheme to partially covered habitations of Kot Dehra, Hatwar, Bhatwara and Thadoh at Galahi Chowk, estimated to cost Rs. 460 lakh and benefit over 10 thousand population of five gram panchayats in the area and dedicated Primary Health Centre building at Bhapyar, completed at a cost of Rs. 61.20 lakh, to the residents of the area, today.

Chief Minister said that all the gram panchayats in Ghumarwin Sub-Division had been connected with motorable road and a number of road projects executed to connect more areas in the segment. He said that besides state budgetary provisions external aided funded projects had also been sanctioned. He said that State Government had also provided ITI in the segment to facilitate vocational education to the youth to help them find employment and self employment.

Prof. Dhumal said that record 367 hand pumps had been bored in district Bilaspur during current regime and work on 20 drinking water supply scheme was in progress. He said that only 59 hand pumps were bored during previous regime. He said that 1027 habitations had been benefitted with drinking water supplies. He said that additionally 2,786 hectares of farm land had been irrigated by spending Rs. 98 crore over the same. He counted various developmental achievements during past four and half a year term.

Chief Minister said that people of the state had been making heavy sacrifices since they had contributed significantly towards the construction of hydel power projects by giving their ancestral land for the same but they were still awaiting their proper rehabilitation till the day. He said that the State Government would be providing 50 percent subsidy on seed and fodder during current season to the benefit the farming community.

Prof. Dhumal said that Seer Khad Channelization Project was a dream project for the Government since the river had been source of a large number of drinking water supply schemes in the area. He said that the State had committedly implemented Swan River Channelization Project which had turned the ‘River of Sorrow’ into ‘River of Development’ reclaiming large chunk of farm land which had brought about prosperity in the area.

Chief Minister sanctioned funds for various projects in the segment. He announced Rs. 1.00 lakh for gram panchayat Darota, Rs. 50 thousand for passage to Baroti village, Rs. 6.22 lakh for completion of Marhana School building, Rs. 2.42 lakh for boundary wall of the school.

Col. Inder Singh, MLA, Gopalpur, said that Seer Khad channelization was likely to benefit population residing along the stretch of three kilometers residing on either side of Seer Khad. He thanked Chief Minister for Rs. 40 crore, Rs. 29 crore and Rs. 15 crore drinking water supply schemes sanctioned for his home segment where work had already been started. He said that major road widening project of Rs. 34 crore was under construction and pass through the segment. He said that Himachal Pradesh had been made the hub of education with the visionary leadership of Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal. He thanked for opening Government Degree College in his home segment which had benefitted youth, especially girls, in pursuing their higher education pursuits.

Shri Kishan Singh Thakur, President, Ghumarwin, BJP Mandal also welcomed the Chief Minister to his home segment and lauded the spectacular achievements of the State Government which had benefitted every section of the society. He specially thanked the Chief Minister for increasing social security pension from Rs. 200 to Rs. 450, which had benefitted the most vulnerable section of the society. He also thanked him for the liberal funds provided for various developmental activities during past four and half years.

Ravinder Garg, Director, HP Technical Education, Vikram Sharma, Director, HP Khadi Board, detailed out the developmental achievements of the State Government, especially in district Bilaspur. Bimla Dhiman, Pradhan, Gram Panchayat, Hatwar, welcomed the Chief Minister and thanked him for performing foundation stone ceremony of ambitious Seer Khad channelization project and drinking water supply scheme. She also apprised the Chief Minister of various demands of the area.

Ravinder Singh Ravi, IPH Minister, Subhash Thakur, Member, State BJP Executive Committee, Anisha Sharma, Chairperson, Panchayat Samiti, Ashwani Dogra, Vice President, District Bilaspur BJP, Jorabar Singh and Rajesh Guleria, General Secretaries, Ghumarwin BJP Mandal, Amar Nath Jarora, Vice President, Prakash Pajyala, President, Urban Unit, Raksha Thakur, Vice President, Indu Sharma and Gayatri, Member Zila Parishad, Usha Thakur, President, Mahila Morcha, BJP Mandal, Rakesh Chopra, Vice President, Nagar Panchayat, Ghumarwin, Ritesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Santosh Patial, Superintendent of Police, M.S. Kanwar, Chief Engineer, IPH, other senior officers and prominent people of the area were present on the occasion.