Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured all help to the new BJP government in Himachal Pradesh for development of the hill state.
SHIMLA: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured all help to the new BJP government in Himachal Pradesh for development of the hill state, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said on Monday.
"The Prime Minister has told me to ring him up any time and the Centre will extend all possibile help for development of the state," said Dhumal on his first day in office.
"Singh told me that we were colleagues in Parliament. Hence, I shall not hesitate in seeking any help from the Centre," the Chief Minister told here.
Dhumal, who was sworn-in as Himachal Chief Minister on Sunday for the second time, said he was overwhelmed by Prime Minister's gesture.
The BJP veteran, who led his party to a decisive win in the just-concluded assembly poll, met the Prime Minister in New Delhi this morning and sought extension of industrial package offered to the state up to 2012.
Dhumal said Singh told him that the Centre would soon remove all impediments in setting up of a central university and an IIT in the hill state.
On October two last, Finance Minister P Chidambaram, on behalf of the Prime Minister, had announced in Shimla that the Centre would set up a varsity and an IIT in the state.
"The Centre will fulfil its commitments," Dhumal said quoting the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister assured adequate budgetary support for Bhanupalli-Bilaspur and Chandigarh-Baddi railway projects in the state to complete the work in time, he said.
Dhumal's first day in office saw people from all walks of life and state government employees greeting him on the occasion.
Addressing a function held to felicitate him, Dhumal told state government employees to work for improving the lot of common man.
"I and you are here to work for welfare of common man. We shall not give any room for complaint," he said.
Seeking to establish a rapport with the employees, he said "I will always be there to address your grievances. But, you must first give a commitment to execute government's welfare schemes at the grassroot level."
"The end of the year saw a new regime in the state. We shall work together to usher in prosperity in the hill state," Dhumal said.
He said his government would adopt a friendly attitude towards its employees.
Dhumal announced that women employees would get leave on auspicious occasions of Karva Chauth and Bhaiya Dooj.
They could also avail free travel on state transport buses on these festive occasions, he said.
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