No pressure over Cabinet formation, says Dhumal

Shimla, Jan 3 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today said there was no pressure on him on Cabinet formation and everything would be finalised with consensus.

''All regions and sections will be kept in mind during the cabinet formation. There are no factions in BJP. Our priority is to deliver and perform,'' he told newspersons here.

Mr Dhumal said his Cabinet would be expanded around January 9.

Referring to several hydel projects being set up in the state, he said his government would strengthen the Pollution Control Board to ensure minimum loss to environment.

Any project would only be passed after an Environment Impact Assessment was done, he said adding that the government would look into the complaints, if any, into allotment of hydel projects and take necessary action.

The Chief Minister said the state government would not be vindictive in its approach, but would simultaneously not spare the people guilty of any irregularity.

Referring to his recent decisions of increasing wages of daily workers and enhancing social security pension to Rs 300 from the present Rs 200, he said the BJP government had already started implementing its manifesto and the announcements were part of it.

The people of the state had brought the BJP to power after analysing its functioning at the Centre and during the previous BJP governments in the state, he added.

''The people compared that even in alliance during 1998-2003, we performed so well. But the Congress party could not come up to their expectations in any sphere,'' he said.

''Price rise, unemployment and anti-incumbency and other factors also led to the ouster of Congress government from Himachal Pradesh,'' he claimed.

UNI AS JN SP KP2153