HP has provided jobs to 85,816 people, says CM

Dharamshala, Dec 28 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said his government had provided jobs to 85,816 people, including 22,239 anganwadi workers who would be regularised soon, during the last three-and-a-half years.

Replying to a question by Damodar Dass (BJP) during Question Hour, he said these included 3,386 regular appointees, 47,642 regularised daily wagers and 15,935 people employed on contract or on compassionate grounds.

In reply to another question, Mr Singh told Mahender Singh (BJP) the government endeavored to upgrade primary schools to middle schools and high schools to senior secondary schools under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA).

There were 11,500 primary schools in the state and all of them could not be upgraded into middle schools, but efforts would be made to upgrade maximum number of primary schools, he added.

Similarly, all high schools could not be upgraded into senior secondary schools, but the government would make an effort to upgrade maximum number of high schools, he said.

The Chief Minister said the Centre had provided a sum of Rs 78.45 crore under the SSA during 2004-05, 98.44 crore during 2005-06 and Rs 51.26 crore during the current financial year up to November 30 this year.

Replying to another question by Asha Kumari (Congress), he said that a vigilance inquiry had been ordered into fraudulent transactions of property in Dalhousie town detected by Kangra Custodian Department.

He said eleven FIRs of fraudulent land deals, including five in Chamba district had been registered, but none of them pertained to Dalhousie.

The matter of fraudulent deals in Dalhousie were being inquired into by 'Union Departments' and FIRs would also be Registered, if required, he said.

State Irrigation and Public Health minister Kaul Singh Thakur informed Mukesh Agnihotri (Congress) that Rs 45.84 crore had so far been spent during the first phase of Swaan channelisation project in Una district.

The total estimated cost of first phase was Rs 106.3 crore and the second phase would cost Rs 243.20 crore, he added.

Mr Thakur said the first estimate of second phase costing Rs 27.6 crore for constructing five km long embankments had been sent to NABARD and more funds would be sought after the sanction of first estimates were received.

UNI AS DP PA RK1910