Despite pandemic, state strives unprecedented growth: Himachal's first-time CM

Shimla, April 9 Facing the challenge of retaining BJP's dominance for the second consecutive term, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur says despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the state borrowed less than the previous Congress government.

Also the global investor summit of 2019 has started yielding results. Besides, the state and the people are fortunate to have benevolence and affection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he added.

For Thakur, who believes development work and no witch hunting is the mantra for success, unprecedented development will remain the party's main poll plank for this year's polls to the 68-member Legislative Assembly.

"As far as the impact of Covid-19 on the economy is concerned, you know it was a global pandemic. Despite this, we have made a rapid recovery. Himachal's economic growth rate for fiscal 2022-23 is estimated at 8.3 per cent," Thakur told in an interview on Saturday, the day party's national President Jagat Prakash Nadda reached the state capital to prepare the roadmap for the Shimla Municipal Corporation and Assembly elections.

On the major challenges before him in the first year of rule, he candidly replied: "My government inherited a loan burden of over Rs 48,000 crore from the previous government due to unmindful expenditure and fiscal mismanagement.

"The first and the foremost task before our government after coming to power was to bring on track the derailed economy of the state. The previous government, in a desperate bid to woo the voters in its fag end of tenure, opened several colleges and institutions without making any budgetary provisions. The foremost task before my government was to make provision of budget for them.

"Also emotional integration was a major issue which needed to be redressed as the state was sharply divided on line of upper and lower Himachal and even on the colour of the caps.

"It is for the people to assess the success and results of the government and I am sure that the people of the state are wise enough to make their decision in the larger interest of the state."

Five-time legislator Thakur, 57, who was elevated after the BJP's chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal suffered an abject defeat in the 2017 Assembly polls, believes the state in over four years have made unparallel progress in all spheres of development after winning the people's confidence.

"We are working in accordance with the basic mantra of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas' given by Prime Minister Modi. Welfare schemes like social security pension, Jan Manch, Mukhyamantri Seva Sankalp Helpline 1100, Shagun, Grihini Suvidha Yojana, Himcare, Sahara Yojna, etc., have provided much needed relief to every section of society," said the first-time Chief Minister, who has 11 ministers half of them first-timers.

"The achievements of the government during these four years have been acknowledged by various central and independent agencies. Even the NITI Aayog has appreciated the work of the state in the health and education sectors.

"During these years my government has accelerated the pace of development, created resources of employment and self-employment for the youth, strived to make the state self-reliant and give development a human face. Special focus has been laid on completion of ongoing projects and ensuring optimum exploitation of tourism, power, industrial and agro potential of the state.

"The long-pending demands and problems of the employees have been redressed and they have been provided benefits of revised pay scale and honorarium of para-workers has been increased."

As far as the Aam Aadmi Party

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