Baijnath: About 2 lakh Himachal Pradesh Government employees and 1.5 lakh pensioners were left dejected as Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu failed to announce the much-anticipated 4% dearness allowance (DA) hike during the state-level Full Statehood Day function held in Kangra district’s Baijnath on Saturday (January 25, 2025).
Despite making several major announcements, the omission of the DA hike cast a shadow over the celebrations, said a government employee on anonymity.
The event saw the Chief Minister hoist the national flag at 11 am and take the salute of the march-past.
Various contingents, including the state police, district police, IRB Sakoh, IRB Pandoh, traffic police, SSB Sapri, Home Guards, NCC, and Bharat Scouts and Guides, participated in the parade.
Survey to identify BPL families from April
During his address to the public, the Chief Minister Sukhu made several major announcements. He declared that a survey to identify Below Poverty Line (BPL) beneficiaries will be conducted from April.
He said the responsibility for verification would rest with the Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs). Within the next two months, a PET scan machine would be installed at IGMC, Shimla.
Additionally, Dharamshala will soon have the largest convention centre in the state. The expansion of Kangra Airport was underway at a cost of Rs 3,500 crore, he said.
Recruitment for 25,000 posts to begin soon
The government is also constructing the world’s second-largest ropeway in Shimla at an estimated cost of Rs 1,600 crore. Work on 16 heliports is progressing rapidly, he said.
In the field of education, the CM announced that 8,000 posts would be filled in the Primary Education Department by 2025, along with 245 special educator positions and 6,000 nursery teacher training (NTT) posts.
Moreover, the recruitment process for 25,000 various government sector positions will begin soon.
Baijnath hosts Full Statehood Day celebrations for first time
For the first time, Baijnath hosted the Full Statehood Day celebrations. The Chief Minister announced the establishment of a new tehsil in Chadiyar, a Public Works Department (PWD) division, a digital library and the construction of a bridge for Paprola-Baijnath.
He also announced the opening of a Rajiv Gandhi Day-Boarding School in Mahal Patti and the inclusion of eight panchayats of Multhan under the Beed police station.
Inaugurates Asia’s first paragliding school at Bir-Billing
During the event, CM Sukhu laid the foundation stones and inaugurated development projects worth Rs 70.26 crore.
These included the inauguration of Asia’s first paragliding school built at a cost of Rs 9 crore in Bir, two parking facilities worth Rs 5 crore near the paragliding landing site and a Rs 9.23 crore substation in Bir.
Additionally, the foundation stone for the Rs 44 crore AMRUT project for Paprola nagar panchayat and the Rs 2.91 crore Uttrala-Kumarharda road project was laid.
The event was attended by Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, AYUSH and Sports Minister Yadvinder Goma, Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh, Education Minister Rohit Thakur and several other ministers and legislators.
