HP Govt to protect inerests of people while setting up SEZ's

Shimla, May 14 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today said his government was committed to the development and welfare of all sections of the society and the interests of all groups would be ensured while setting up Special Economic Zones.

Addressing public meetings at Gagret, Kunairan, Daulatpur Nangal-Jaryala in Gagret assembly segment of Una district, he said the state government would soon construct an airport in Gagret with consent of the local people.

Mr Dhumal said the main objective of the state government was to ensure that the benefits of different development and welfare projects percolated down to the targetted beneficiaries.

The previous Congress government had provided employment to only 3386 people during its five-year tenure as against the promis of employment to at least one person in each family, he said.

He said employment opportunities were being created for unemployed youth and 26,000 posts would be created in government sector alone during the current financial year.

The Chief Minister said Anurag Thakur had been given ticket purely on merit and added that the culture of ''Parivarvad'' was deeply rooted and manifest in Congress party as ticket for Guler assembly constituency was given to Mr Neeraj Bharati, son of Chander Kumar.

Ms Pratibha Singh was also given ticket since she was the wife of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

He said the UPA government at the Centre was responsible for price rise which has made life of common man very difficult and added that price rise was a 'Centre' subject.

However, the state government had made provision of Rs 90 crore to provide essential commodities to consumers on subsidised rates.

The price rise could be checked only when the NDA government would come to power at the Centre, Mr Dhumal asserted.

UNI AS JN AKJ BD2018