Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur told the officers that top priority must be given to the announcements made by him, besides starting work on the projects for which foundation stones have been laid without any delay.

Presiding over the evening session of MLAs’ priority meeting for the Budget 2021-22 with the MLAs of Mandi, Kullu and Bilaspur districts here on Monday, he said that strict action would be taken against the officers responsible the delay.

The chief minister said the MLAs priority meeting aims at providing an opportunity to the MLAs to prioritize their developmental priorities of their respective areas.

He said that the present state government has ensured that the Corona pandemic does not affect the pace of development.

He had himself laid foundation stones and inaugurated developmental projects worth Rs 3500 crore virtually during the period of corona pandemic.

He thanked the MLAs for their active cooperation to tackle the pandemic. He said that the state government also decided to release Rs 50 lakh from the MLA Fund so that the MLAs could ensure development of their areas.

Thakur also thanked the people of the state for their wholehearted support to the present State Government by ensuring victory of BJP supported candidates in elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies.

He said that under the Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojana, all the eligible families were provided free gas connections, which ensured that Himachal Pradesh became the first smoke free state of the country where every household had been provided with gas connection. He said that the State Government has started a Him Care Scheme under which 4.63 lakh families got registered and till date 1.25 lakh families have been provided financial assistance of Rs. 121 crore.

The chief minister said that all the MLAs must come up with suggestions which could be incorporated in the state budget for the year 2021- 22 so as to ensure development of every area of the state and welfare of every section of the society.

He said that the officers must ensure to sanction the MLA priorities firstly through the projects announced in the Annual Budget of Union Government for the year 2021- 22. This would ensure that maximum benefits of the new schemes announced in the Union Budget.

Thakur said that the state government would ensure topmost preference to the MLAs’ priorities and would ensure time-bound completion of the DPRs.

The chief minister said that officers must take all the suggestions made by the MLAs seriously.

He said that the officers must also get first hand information regarding ongoing projects by ensuring maximum field visits. He said that officers must seriously take up the work assigned to them for development of the state.