Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday inaugurated a “Swachhata Cafe” at Nalagarh in Solan district digitally from here on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.

The Chief Minister said that the cafe set up by the State Rural Development Department near Truck Operators Union Nalagarh was being operated by Laxmi and Durga Women Self Help Groups. He said that the main attraction of this cafe was that it would serve traditional food such as maize bread (Makki ki Roti) and Sarson ka Saag, butter, lassi etc.

Thakur said that the state government has started a scheme for eradicating polythene and single use plastic. Under his ‘Buy Back Policy’ of the government, food or other food items were being provided to the people in exchange of single use plastic.

He said that Him Ira shop has also been opened in this building wherein medicinal plants, such as giloye, peppermint, neem leave powder, brooms made from date palm plants and homemade wheat flour, pulses, spices and vegetables were being sold at reasonable prices. He said that this would provide effective means of livelihood to the rural poor women of the region.

While wishing a very happy birthday to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said that the nation and the state was blessed to have Narendra Modi for guiding the nation and making it a most strong country amongst the comity of the nations. He said that Narendra Modi has played a leading role in laying the solid foundation for a New India.

He said that ‘Swachhata Park’ was also being opened at Kufri in district Shimla. Apart from this, proposals for opening ‘Swachhata Cafes’ from different areas of the State were being considered by the State Government, he added.

The Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Virender Kanwar said that the state Government has started this concept in an attempt to make the state polythene-free and clean, besides promoting sanitation which would provide employment opportunities to the youth and help in women empowerment.

Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Dr. Sandeep Bhatnagar thanked the Chief Minister for sparing his valuable time for inauguration of this Cafe.

Director, Rural Development Lalit Jain said that this Cafe has been opened as an unique experimental initiative, which was being operated by women self-help groups.

Local Pradhan Indu Vaidya said that last year the SHG earned an additional income of about Rs 40,000 in fairs, festivals and public forums.

MLA Doon Parmjeet Singh Pammi, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister J.C. Sharma were present at Shimla with the Chief Minister whereas former MLA K.L. Thakur was present at Nalagarh.