Ridiculing the decision of Congress party to appoint four working presidents for a small state, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, on Tuesday, said the party was compelled to do so as several of their leaders were about to leave the party.

Addressing a public meeting at Jaswan Paragpur in Kangra district, Thakur thanked the people of the state for extending their wholehearted support during the testing time of Corona pandemic and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi successfully led the nation in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. The biggest free vaccination campaign of the world could also be launched in the country successfully and almost all sections of the society have been benefited by the developmental policies and programmes of the Central and state governments.

On the other hand, he said Congress leadership did not spare its own high command and raised a bill of Rs 12 crore claiming that the expenditure was made by the party workers to provide masks, food packages and sanitizers to the people of the state.

The chief minister stated that several schemes of the Centre such as Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna, Ujjawala Yojna, Ayushman Bharat etc have benefitted crores of people in the country. Similarly, state schemes like Grihini Suvidha Yojna, HIMCARE, Sahara Yojna, Shagun Yojna etc. have benefitted lakhs of people of the state. But unfortunately, the Congress leaders were not able to see these developments as they did nothing for the betterment and welfare of the people of the country during their tenures, the CM said.

The CM further stated that the state government, during the last four and a half years, has ensured that all the welfare schemes and developmental programmes reach the last man in the line. Citing Sahara Yojna, he said it has been proving a boon for the families having a chronically ill patient. Under the scheme Rs 3,000 per month is being provided to families with a chronically ill patient.

He said the Congress, despite remaining in power for over 50 years, did nothing for economically poor sections of the society.

He said his government initiated several schemes for empowerment of the women in the state. Mukhya Mantri Swavlamban Yojna has made the youth of the state ‘job providers’ instead of ‘job seekers’.

Besides, the CM said the state government decided that 50 per cent concession on fare in HRTC buses for women passengers and free power up to 125 units would be provided to domestic consumers of the state every month from July this year. The state government has also decided to provide free drinking water facilities to rural areas of the state.

he wondered how the Congress leaders could oppose these decisions of the state government and said it shows the dual character of the party’s leaders. Zero bill would be charged from the consumers consuming less than 125 unit power per month, thereby benefiting over 15 lakh consumers of the state, he added.