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At a time when classrooms are increasingly defined by examination scores, rankings, and relentless competition, it is worth asking a fundamental question: what is education truly meant to achieve?
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday announced that the government will create a separate cadre for teachers of CBSE-based government schools being established across the state.
In the first phase, 100 such schools are being set up, each with subject experts and a distinct dress code for students.
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The Chief Minister made these announcements during his visit to Mamligh in Solan district on Tuesday, where he upgraded Mamligh sub tehsil to a full-fledged tehsil and announced the opening of a Public Works Department sub-division.
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He also dedicated and laid the foundation stones of development projects worth Rs. 27.43 crore and announced Rs. 50 lakh for the construction of a school roof and Rs. 50,000 for promotion of cultural activities.
Sukhu said the state government has taken concrete steps to bring qualitative improvement in the education sector, which is now yielding positive results.
“Himachal has risen from the 21st to the fifth position in education ranking, reflecting the outcomes of our efforts,” he said.
He added that during the previous BJP regime, frequent transfers of teachers disrupted the education system, while the present government has implemented strict measures to ensure stability in schools.
To boost the confidence of rural students and prepare them for future challenges, the Chief Minister said Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding Schools are being established in every Assembly constituency, and construction of such a school has begun in Mamligh as well.
Highlighting efforts to modernize governance, Sukhu said that Revenue Lok Adalats are being held across the state and a pilot project, ‘My Deed’, has been launched to facilitate online registration of land, saving citizens from repeated visits to revenue offices.
Speaking on healthcare, he said the government is investing Rs. 3,000 crore in advanced medical technologies in health institutions, comparable to those available at AIIMS Delhi. Robotic surgeries have already started at Chamiyana and Tanda hospitals.
The state has approved Rs. 75 crore for setting up automated laboratories at Super Speciality Hospital Chamiyana, IGMC Shimla, and Tanda Medical College, enabling multiple tests from a single blood sample.
“Our focus is on strengthening the rural economy and making farmers self-reliant,” Sukhu said.
The government has increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of cow milk to Rs. 51 per litre and buffalo milk to Rs. 61 per litre. Wheat produced through natural farming is being purchased at Rs. 60 per kg, maize at Rs. 40 per kg, raw turmeric at Rs. 90 per kg, and barley from farmers in Pangi Valley at Rs. 60 per kg.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to transparency, he said a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption is being followed.
He accused the previous BJP government of allotting 5,000 bighas of land under five customized packages for only Rs. 14 crore, though its market value was around Rs. 1,000 crore, and of providing free electricity and water to investors.
The Chief Minister said that after the implementation of GST, Himachal Pradesh suffered heavy financial losses and the Union Government compensated the state only until July 2022.
“The previous BJP government received an additional Rs. 50,000 crore but failed to utilize it for public welfare. Today, we are compelled to raise loans to repay their debts,” he said.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. (Col) Dhani Ram Shandil thanked the Chief Minister for laying the foundation stone of the Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding School at Mamligh and said the government is making sincere efforts to bring qualitative improvements in the health and education sectors under his leadership.
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