Rao says successive Congress governments developed HP

Shimla, Mar 1 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Excise and Taxation Minister Rangila Ram Rao today lauded successive Congress Governments for the all-round development of the state during last 60 years.

Participating in the motion of thanks to the Governor's address in the Vidhan Sabha here, he said the literacy rate, which was five per cent only on 1948, had soared to above 85 per cent.

Mr Rao said similarly the road length in the state had grown to 27,850 km from 237 km in 1948, adding that this also included 400 km which could be used by rough-terrain vehicles like jeep.

While the growth rate during former chief minister Shanta Kumar's tenure was point 36 and point four, it was only four per cent during former P K Dhumal, he said, adding that it had risen to 7.6 per cent during 2004-05.

He said the growth rate continued its upward trend even after that with 8.5 per cent during 2005-06 and 9.3 per cent during this financial year.

In the field of education, the present Congress Government has opened 240 middle, 143 high and 229 primary schools besides 12 colleges in government sector and two in private sector, he said.

The Minister said the government was spending 48 per cent of its budget on social welfare, adding that Himachal had attracted 25,000 investment during the last four years.

Participating in the motion, State Revenue Minister Sat Mahajan said over three lakh illegal encroachments, 60,000 of these on forest land, were made during the previous BJP government.

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