The Himachal Pradesh State Congress Government today released Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) vision document making the commitment to provide portable drinking water, sewerage disposal scheme, transport, parking lots and special scheme for tourism and traders. A two-paged document named as “Shimla Sankalp 2017” was released in party state headquarter Rajiv Bhavan this morning by HP Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and party President Sukhvinder Singh Sukh in presence of IPH minister Vidya Stokes and galaxy of other leaders activists with much fun fare.
Addressing the media persons, Mr. Singh said that Congress has dominated the Shimla MC since its inception 32 years ago and once again it is heading to retain it. My Government is committed to implementing the retention policy brought by the State Government in the Assembly budget session however, it was in a bottleneck as one person went to State High Court challenging it. He claimed that the State High Court would uphold the policy and soon after Court verdict we would ensure that people of the town could regulate their construction. They would get maximum benefit under the policy however, the State could afford to waive off 100 percent deviation those houses having less than 70 percent deviation to be regulated in one-time settlement basis.
Mr. Singh warned that people of town should know that it is last such retention policy and after lapsing it not a single construction could approve without seeking approval from the Town and Country Planning. He said that the State Government would provide portable drinking water round the clock as it has augmented Rs 1200 Cr world bank scheme to benefit about 1.90 lakh population. He said that Congress is committed for execution of this scheme shortly, however, Rs one hundred Crore have been sanctioned to provide 24×7 water supply in the town.
The State government is also working upon Rs 200 Crore sewerage disposal scheme and would also provide the underground solid based treatment plant Mr. Singh said. He said that Shimla is historic town would vote on Jun 16 and party coming out with manifesto today. He said that during the canvassing party was getting a massive response to elected for the SMC and party supported candidate would secure the majority in MC house. He said that Shimla which is famous hill destination renowned worldwide was provided massive funds which were made available from different international agencies like Asian Development Bank. He said that entire Mall Road and Ridge was facelifted during the four years of Congress Government.
He said that from CTO to HP Unversity and from Ridge to Sanjouli and from Ritz to Rajbhavan steel railing and RCC drains were installed. Chief Minister said that he was trying to ensure that party candidates get massive public support as he was working overtime to communicate with a maximum number of people of this capital town. Congress could not give candidates on six seats as its supported candidates were in the fray in only 28 wards out of 34. BJP was fighting MC election on all the 34 wards and ruling CPI(M) on 21 wards and supporting the candidate of non-BJP, non-Congress people front on rest seats. Currently in 25 member House, Congress has maximum 12 members, BJP 11, CPIM two along with Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Today was the last date of canvassing and polling will be held on Jun 16 and result would be made out on Jun 17.
