Himachal Emerging As Fastest Growing Economy In The Country

Himachal Day (15 April, 2017)

Himachal Pradesh celebrates 70th  Himachal Day today. It was on this day in 1948 that Himachal Pradesh came into existence after merger of 30 odd princely hill States. On this momentous day, I felicitate entire populace of the State and pay my respect and gratitude to the great sons and daughters of the soil, who toiled hard to secure for Himachal a separate entity, and make it a distinct identity. I pay my special respect to Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar, the architect and first Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.

15th April is a day of rejoicing on the one hand and of introspection on the other. When we look back at the path and the progress that the State has traversed, we find that it has achieved unparalleled and unprecedented development. Our State has emerged as a leader of hill area development in the Country and is a fast growing economy. Manifold growth in all the sectors is a testimony to it.

The per capita income at current prices in the State is expected to reach Rs 1,47,277, which was  mere Rs 240 in 1948 . The State Gross Domestic Product as per the advance estimates for 2016-17 is likely to increase to Rs 1,24,570 crore from a meager Rs 26 crore during the year 1948. Literacy percentage has gone up from 7% in 1948 to 83.78 per cent. At the time of the formation of the State, only 6 villages had electricity and 331 villages had drinking water facility. Today, all the villages have piped water facility and every household has electricity. There is a Government school within a radius of 3 kms and health institutions even in the farthest corners.

Ever since present Government took over on 25th December, 2012, it has concentrated on equitable and inclusive development in the State. Poor, downtrodden, weaker and vulnerable sections have been given special attention. The State has achieved spectacular progress in core areas of health, education and balanced development of infrastructure with special focus on the poor and under privileged.   The State has been adjudged as “Best State” in the country in education and inclusive growth. The State has been declared the first ODF bigger State in the country.

Welfare and upliftment of the weaker sections of the society has been given special attention to improve their economic lot.   As many as 3,89,168 persons are being provided social security pension in the State. This State Government enhanced the social security pension from Rs 450 to Rs 650 during the last four years, which has been further enhanced to Rs 700 per month.  An amount of Rs 410 crore would be spent on providing social security pension during the current financial year. The assistance under Mother Teresa Matri Ashraya Sambal Yojana has been enhanced from Rs. 3000 to Rs. 4000.

The State Government is ensuring that everyone in the State has food to eat and house to live. Cent percent population has been brought under the fold of public distribution system.  Over 37  lakh  people  of  the  State  are being  provided food  security  under  ‘Rajiv  Ann  Yojana’  and getting 3  kilogram  of  wheat  at  Rs  2  per  kilogram and 2 kilogram of rice at  Rs.  3 per kilogram per month. Rs. 750 crore have been spent under the Special Subsidy Scheme on providing  pulses, edible oil and salt at subsidized rates to all the ration card holdersduring the last four years and Rs 220 crore have been earmarked for the current financial year. An addition, ePDS has been launched and 16.64 lakh ration cards have been digitized to bring efficiency and transparency in PDS.

Agriculture development has been accorded high priority to strengthen the rural economy as more than 70 percent population of the State depends on agriculture for their livelihood. Over four lakh soil health cards have been distributed to the farmers. Hamirpur district has been awarded for being the best district in successful implementation of this scheme by the Prime Minister. Mukhaya Mantri Khet Sanrakshan Yojana is being effectively implemented in the State and from the current financial year subsidy of 60 per cent would be provided to the farmers to protect their crops from stray animals and monkeys by erecting fences. 2525   polyhouses covering an area of 41.37 hectare have been setup in the State by spending an amount of Rs 53.45 crore under Dr Y.S.Parmar Kisan Swarozgar Yojana. Over 36,000 farmers have adopted organic farming and 7,14,221 Kissan Credit Cards have been distributed to the farmers.

Horticulture plays a critical role in our agrarian economy.  Efforts are being made to strengthen the horticulture economy of the State. World Bank funded Rs 1134 crore Horticulture Development Project have been launched in the State to increase production of quality fruits. Over 15.52 lakh sq.mts. area have been brought under anti hail net to protect horticulture crops from hailstorm. Subsidy on anti-hail net has been increased from 50 per cent to 80 per cent. As many as 1,00,493 farmers have availed benefit of Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme in the State. From this financial year this scheme has been extended to all potential blocks for apple, mango, plum, peach and citrus fruits.

Providing potable water to every household and irrigation facility to agricultural fields is a priority of the Government.  An amount of Rs. 2238 crore would be spent on various water supply schemes and irrigation schemes during the current financial year. Work is in progress on Rs. 922 crore Swan Channelization Project in Una district and Rs. 180 crore Chhonchh Khad Channelization Project in Kangra district. A World Bank assisted Rs 837 crore project has been approved for providing twenty-four hour water supply to Shimla town.

Roads are life lines of development and an essential infrastructure for prosperity of rural economy, particularly in a hill State. Roads are the priority of the Government and special emphasis is being laid on providing rural connectivity. As many as 3138 panchayats out of total 3226 panchayats have been connected with motorable roads and work is in progress to connect the remaining  74 panchayats. Over 2000 kms new roads and 204 bridges have been constructed during this period and 864 villages provided road connectivity.

Himachal Pradesh is moving towards becoming the Education Hub of the country. As many as 42 new colleges have been opened in the State and 1328 new Government Schools have been opened or upgraded. In addition 2 Engineering Colleges, 34 ITIs and four Centrally Funded Institutes viz. IIT, IIM, IIIT and RVTI have been opened in the State during this period. As many as 10,000 netbooks would be provided to meritorious students of 10th and 12th during the Rajiv Gandhi Digital Yojana.

Efforts are being made to ensure better Health care facilities to the people at their door steps.  Health expenditure as per percentage of GSDP is 1.43, which is second highest in the country. As many as 21 Civil Hospitals, 34 CHCs, 96 PHCs and 29 Health Sub Centres have been opened in the State during the last four years. A super specialty block of IGMC would be constructed at Chamyana, near Shimla with a cost of Rs 290 crore. ESI Medical College and Hospital in Mandi has been taken over by the State Government and named after Sh. Lal Bhadur Shastri. During the current financial year an amount of Rs 1720 crore would be spent on providing health care facilities to the people of the State.

Hydel potential is the key to prosperity of the State and as such harnessing this natural resource is a priority area of the Government. So far, the State has harnessed 10,351 MW power. Kashang Hydel Project was commissioned this year and Sainj and Uhal Projects would be commissioned during the current financial year, thus bringing an additional capacity of 200 MW in the State Sector.  Rs 1490 crore have been spent  during the last four years on providing electricity to the domestic consumers of the State at subsidized rates. A provision of Rs. 450  crore has been made for the purpose during the current financial year.

Tourism is another sector which could be a source of income and employment to the local people. Industrial development has also been given big boost so as to generate income and employment to the people. Areas are being established at Kandrauri in Kangra district and Pandoga in Una district. Time bound clearances are being ensured within 45 days for setting up of new industries. Stamp duty and Land Use Transfer Fee has been reduced to facilitate new investors. New industrial units providing employment to more than 300 Himachalis, are being charged only one per cent electricity duty for five years. Chief Minister’s Start up/Innovation Projects/New Industries Scheme has been launched in the State under which several concessions are being provided to the incentives startup entrepreneurs.

Dharamshala has been approved under Smart City Mission  for the project worth Rs2109 crore and first installment of Rs 186 crore has been released by the Centre. Shimla and Kullu towns have been selected under the AMRUT scheme. Best public transport facilities are being provided in the State for safe, comfortable and reliable commutation to the people of the State. An amount of Rs 215 crore has been earmarked for the current budget for purchase of small comfortable buses suitable for hilly roads and Rs 50 crore would be provided as equity. As many as 1300 buses have been added to the fleet of HRTC. Women are being provided 25 percent discount in fare in HRTC buses within the State. To provide employment opportunity to youth, atleast 1000 new bus permits would be given to them during the current financial year.

The State Government is giving top priority for upgrading the skills of the unemployed youth in the State to make them employable. In order to upgrade the skill of unemployed youth and increase their employability, the Government has implemented Rs 500 crore Skill Development Allowance Scheme. Till date, skill development allowance has been provided to 1,52,000 youth. Kaushal Vikas Nigam has been setup to implement Rs. 640 crore ADB assisted Skill Development Project to upgrade skill infrastructure in the State and provide employment to 65,000 youth.

In an historic move the State Government has decided to provide unemployment allowance of Rs 1000 per month to unemployment youth per month having 10 plus two or above qualification. Youth with disability would be given unemployment allowance of Rs 1500 per month. On the auspicious occasion of Himachal Day, let us take a pledge to work unitedly making Himachal most developed and prosperous State of the Country.

-By DIPR

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