Helipad in all major valleys of HP, says CM

Shimla, Aug 2 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said helipads will be constructed in every important valley of the state to promote tourism and help in airlifting of people in times of emergency.

Addressing a public meeting at Bahli in Rampur sub-division of Shimla district last evening, he said the construction of helipads would promote eco-tourism and attract high-end tourists to the state.

Referring to widespread development in the state during the last four and a half years, Mr Singh said a sum of Rs 4,000 crore alone was being spent on roads and bridges under different schemes during this financial year.

Besides, Himachal was the only state in the country that was regularising the daily wagers and making them eligible for pensionary benefits on attaining superannuation, he said.

He said road network in the state had grown by leaps and bounds during the last few years with all panchayats in the state likely to be connected during this financial year.

Himachal has emerged as a role model in education in the country and has a primary school within a distance of 1.5 to 2 km to provide educational facilitates to the young children near their homes, he said.

The Chief Minister said houseless families in the rural areas were being provided two biswas of land (about 60 sq yard) and in the urban areas one biswa land to construct their houses.

Speaking on the occasion, state Civil Supplies Minister Singhi Ram said that the state was poised to emerge as the ''Fruit Bowl of the country'' as the horticulture sector had received a boost during the last few days.

UNI