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Despite pandemic, HP strives for unprecedented growth: Jai Ram Thakur
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Vishal Gulati | 26 Apr, 2022
Facing the challenge of retaining BJP's dominance for the second
consecutive term, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur says
despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the state borrowed less than the previous
Congress government.
Also the global investor summit of
2019 has started yielding results. Besides, the state and the people
are fortunate to have benevolence and affection of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, he added.
For Thakur, who believes development
work and no witch hunting is the mantra for success, unprecedented
development will remain the party's main poll plank for this year's
polls to the 68-member Legislative Assembly.
"As far as the
impact of Covid-19 on the economy is concerned, you know it was a global
pandemic. Despite this, we have made a rapid recovery. Himachal's
economic growth rate for fiscal 2022-23 is estimated at 8.3 per cent,"
Thakur told IANS in an interview on Saturday, the day party's national
President Jagat Prakash Nadda reached the state capital to prepare the
roadmap for the Shimla Municipal Corporation and Assembly elections.
On
the major challenges before him in the first year of rule, he candidly
replied: "My government inherited a loan burden of over Rs 48,000 crore
from the previous government due to unmindful expenditure and fiscal
mismanagement.
"The first and the foremost task before our
government after coming to power was to bring on track the derailed
economy of the state. The previous government, in a desperate bid to woo
the voters in its fag end of tenure, opened several colleges and
institutions without making any budgetary provisions. The foremost task
before my government was to make provision of budget for them.
"Also
emotional integration was a major issue which needed to be redressed as
the state was sharply divided on line of upper and lower Himachal and
even on the colour of the caps.
"It is for the people to assess
the success and results of the government and I am sure that the people
of the state are wise enough to make their decision in the larger
interest of the state."
Five-time legislator Thakur, 57, who was
elevated after the BJP's chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal
suffered an abject defeat in the 2017 Assembly polls, believes the state
in over four years have made unparallel progress in all spheres of
development after winning the people's confidence.
"We are
working in accordance with the basic mantra of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas
and Sabka Vishwas' given by Prime Minister Modi. Welfare schemes like
social security pension, Jan Manch, Mukhyamantri Seva Sankalp Helpline
-- 1100, Shagun, Grihini Suvidha Yojana, Himcare, Sahara Yojna, etc.,
have provided much needed relief to every section of society," said the
first-time Chief Minister, who has 11 ministers -- half of them
first-timers.
"The achievements of the government during these
four years have been acknowledged by various central and independent
agencies. Even the NITI Aayog has appreciated the work of the state in
the health and education sectors.
"During these years my
government has accelerated the pace of development, created resources of
employment and self-employment for the youth, strived to make the state
self-reliant and give development a human face. Special focus has been
laid on completion of ongoing projects and ensuring optimum exploitation
of tourism, power, industrial and agro potential of the state.
"The
long-pending demands and problems of the employees have been redressed
and they have been provided benefits of revised pay scale and honorarium
of para-workers has been increased."
As far as the Aam Aadmi
Party (AAP) is concerned that is now setting its eyes on conquering
hills of Himachal Pradesh after demolishing the citadels of all major
political parties in Punjab, an optimistic Thakur, to whom the central
leadership reposed faith by bringing generation change in the state
politics, said situation in Punjab was different.
"The issues of
hilly areas are entirely different and people of the state earlier also
have rejected the third front in the state," he said.
"During the
last over 50 years, many political parties tried to climb the mountains
of Himachal Pradesh but have failed miserably. The leaders of AAP are
over enthusiastic after their victory in Punjab, but they should also
remember that their candidates have not only lost on all seats in the
recent Assembly polls in Uttarakhand but their security deposits were
also forfeited."
On getting free hand from the high command to
lead the party in the upcoming Assembly elections, the plain-speaking
Thakur told IANS that the BJP is a political party with a difference and
the organisation decides the responsibilities to be assigned to each
and every worker.
"All have to carry out our responsibilities
with utmost dedication and commitment. Whatever responsibilities are
given, there is complete freedom to work according to the post.
Contrary, the Congress party is a party run by a family, which decides
and keeps running every party affair remotely.
"As far as recent
by-elections to the state Assembly and Lok Sabha were concerned, the
circumstances were different as the Congress was fighting the elections
on sympathy wave after the demise of Virbhadra Singh, a six-time Chief
Minister and senior Congress leader. The circumstances now in the
general elections will be entirely different.
"The party will
work with greater dedication and commitment to ensure success of
'Mission Repeat' in the state, like it has achieved in Uttar Pradesh,
Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa."
The Chief Minister is confident that the party will once again form the government.
The reason he believes is the need for a 'double engine government' for better development of the states.
"Despite
the pandemic, the state succeeded in getting approval of several
developmental projects from the Centre. People of the state want to keep
this momentum going and will definitely opt for the BJP in the 2022
elections."
On BJP's main agenda while going to the polls, he
replied: "Unprecedented development the state has witnessed during this
period will remain the main agenda of the BJP in the elections. The BJP
has not only emerged as the biggest political party of the world, but
its government headed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ensured
that the nation regains its old glory.
"We are working on the
same motto and giving human face to development and making Himachal
Pradesh a frontrunner state in the country on development. On the other
hand, the Congress is a leaderless, issueless and directionless party
which has no base at the Centre as well as the state."
The Prime Minister considers Himachal Pradesh his second home and always showers his blessing on the state.
"On
the occasion of completion of the four-year term of our government, the
Prime Minister in Mandi laid the foundation stones and inaugurated
projects of over Rs 11,000 crore. The Centre has sanctioned several
projects which includes AIIMS at Bilaspur, the Atal Tunnel Rohtang that
connects Kullu Valley with Lahaul Valley, a medical device park, many
four lanes and ropeways. We are expecting another visit of the Prime
Minister to the state in next one or two months and hoping some major
announcement for the state," Thakur added.
The BJP had won a majority in the 2017 Assembly polls with 44 seats in the 68-member state Assembly.
Thakur
is the first Chief Minister from Mandi, the second biggest district of
Himachal after Kangra. Earlier, Chief Ministers hailed from Shimla,
Kangra and Sirmaur districts.
(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
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