Dhumal claims credit for restarting 418 closed sawmills

Shimla, May 12 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today claimed credit for the refunctioning of closed 418 sawmills in the state, saying that his government's performance for the first few months was better than the previous government's five-year tenure.

Of the 418 sawmills closed in the state, 313 were in the Hamirpur district alone, he said while addressing election rallies at Chodu, Kangoo, Pansai, Jalan, Kalur, Majiyar and Jaladi in support of his son and party candidate from the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency Anurag Thakur.

Mr Dhumal said what the previous state government failed to achieve in its five year tenure has been completed in the first few months of the BJP Government.

Criticising the UPA Government at the Centre for its failure to initiate steps to ameliorate the woes of the commom man, he said former union food and civil supplies minister Shanta Kumar had launched the Antyodaya Ann Yojna under which wheat was provided at a rate of Rs two per kg and rice at Rs three per kg.

Besides people above 65 years were provided free ration under the Annapurna Ann Yojna, he added.

Referring to the previous government's failure to provide job to one member of every family in the state, the Chief Minister said it had provided employment to 3,386 people only.

The BJP Government, on the other hand, had decided to create 26,000 posts during this fiscal in the government sector, he said.

Several ministers and party legislators were also present on the occasion.

UNI AS JN MMS1759