Every BJP worker should sensitise and educate people of Himachal Pradesh regarding various developmental and welfare schemes initiated by the Centre and the state government, said Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today.

He was addressing the semi-virtual meeting of BJP State Working Committee from Shimla.

The Chief Minister said that several welfare schemes had been launched by the Central and state government to ensure socio-economic upliftment of every section of the society and every area of the state.

He said that the party workers must ensure proper contact and liaison with the beneficiaries of various schemes.

Thakur said that the double engine of the Central and state government was poised to make Himachal Pradesh a model state in the country in the matter of development.

He said that the HIMCARE Scheme was launched to provide health insurance cover to the families not covered under Ayushman Bharat Yojna launched by the Union government.

He said that till date, as many as one lakh people have been provided financial assistance of Rs 91.43 crores under this Scheme. He said that financial assistance of Rs. 3000 per month were being provided to the family of those with seriously ill patients. He said that as many as 9078 beneficiaries have been benefited by providing them Rs 5.90 crore.

The Chief Minister said that the state government launched Grihini Suvidha Yojna to cover all the families not covered under Ujjawala Yojna of the Central Government and Himachal Pradesh has become the first state of the country to become ‘Smoke free’.

He said that till date, over 2.78 lakh free gas connections have been provided to the eligible families. He said that in addition to this, 1.36 lakh families have been covered under the Ujjawala Yojna.

Thakur said that the state government took a decision in its very first cabinet to reduce the age limit from 80 years to 70 years for availing benefits of old age pension without income limit which has benefitted 2.85 lakh senior citizens.

He said that as many as 181 ‘Janmanch’ programmes have been organized in different parts of the state. He said that over 45,000 complaints were received and more than 91 percent of these complaints were redressed on the spot and the remaining complaints forwarded immediately to the concerned departments for further action.

He said that apart from this, Mukhya Mantri Seva Sankalp Helpline-1100 has brought the government closer to the public and to solve problems of the citizens at their doorsteps.

The Chief Minister said that under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna, direct financial assistance of Rs. 500 per month was provided to 5.90 lakh women through their bank accounts and Rs. 2000 per month to the 8.74 lakh farmers under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna.

He said that the state government also provided a three month advance social security pension to the eligible persons. He said that Rs. 4000 each have been transferred into the account of the 1.37 lakh workers registered under the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board.

He said that additional Rs 1000 each were deposited into the accounts of ASHA workers for the month of March to June. He said that the Government has decided to provide Rs 2000 each for the month of July and August for these workers keeping in view their yeoman service during Covid-19 pandemic.

Thakur thanked the BJP workers for providing food to about 5 lakh people during lockdown due to the Covid pandemic, besides preparing and distributing over 50 lakh masks to the people in the State.

He also urged the party functionaries to work dedicatedly to ensure strengthening of BJP base in the state and bring BJP again back to power in 2022 general assembly elections.