Una district gets Rs 357 crore projects

Una, June 20

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of seven development projects worth Rs 357 crore in Una district. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan accompanied him.

In the Haroli Assembly segment, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of various works for the creation of basic infrastructure for the bulk drug park project, including a link road from the administrative and township block at Panjuwana village to the gate of the park, construction of administrative and residential blocks, laying of high-tension power lines and an electrical sub station near the Tahliwal industrial area.

Sukhu said that the bulk drug park was one of the major projects in the state and the government had set a target of creating infrastructure at the cost of Rs 1,000 crore there. He added that the drug park project would receive equal funding from the state and Central governments.

In the Una Assembly segment later, the Chief Minister dedicated to the public a 32 MW solar power project set up in Pekhubela village at a cost of Rs 220 crore, a primary health centre building in Basoli village and a health sub centre building in Jankaur village. The solar power project is expected to produce 6.61 crore units every year, generate Rs 19.17 crore revenue for the state at Rs 2.90 per unit. The solar plant would reduce carbon emissions by 2,532 tonne every year, he added. The Chief Minister had laid the foundation stone of the project eight months ago.

Sukhu said that the state government was working towards making Himachal Pradesh the first green energy state of the country. “We have initially set a target of generating 500 MW solar power. The government is also encouraging the state’s youth to set up micro solar power projects on their own land for which they can avail of financial assistance,” he added.

The Chief Minister, while interacting with mediapersons later, said that the three Assembly byelections were forced upon people by the former Independent MLAs. He added that if the MLAs were not happy with the working of the Congress government, they could have supported the BJP instead of pressing the Speaker to accept their resignations.

Asked about opposition to his wife’s candidature for the Dehra byelection, Sukhu said that Rajesh Sharma, who had lost the 2022 Assembly elections from Dehra, had earlier lost the election from the Kangra seat. He added, “It was me who decided to give Rajesh Sharma a second chance in the 2022 elections but he lost again. In all surveys done by the Congress high command, my wife Kamlesh Thakur’s name had emerged as a formidable candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Hamirpur seat.”

Sukhu said, “I had repeatedly rejected the AICC’s offer to field Kamlesh in the previous Lok Sabha elections. However, for the Dehra byelection, the party high command was adamant on her name. Dehra voters were also demanding a local candidate. Since Kamlesh was born and brought up in Dehra and also has property there, I finally accepted the party high command’s proposal.”

Rs 1,000 cr for infra development at Haroli drug park

• In the Haroli Assembly segment, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of various works for the creation of basic infrastructure for the bulk drug park project
• Sukhu said the government would create infrastructure at the bulk drug park at the cost of Rs 1,000 crore
• In the Una Assembly segment, the Chief Minister dedicated to the public a 32 MW solar power project set up in Pekhubela village at a cost of Rs 220 crore