Shimla, Apr 15 (PTI) On the occasion of statehood day, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Tuesday announced the release of three monthly instalments of Rs 1,500 each for women of the tribal Pangi Valley.

The payments for April, May and June were made under the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Samman Yojana. The chief minister said the benefits of the scheme would be extended to other beneficiaries in the due course of time.

Rs 4,500 was released to each of 1,926 women as a payment for three months and a total of Rs 86.67 lakh was disbursed, according to a statement issued here.

Presiding over the 78th state-level Himachal Day event at Killar in the Pangi valley of Chamba district, Sukhu said adequate funds would be provided for the construction of a Mahila Mandal in Pangi while Sach would be given the status of a sub-tehsil.

He announced that the Pangi sub-division would be made the state’s first natural farming zone and granted Rs 5 crore revolving fund for this purpose.

The main agricultural produce of the area — Barley — which at present is sold at Rs 30 per kg would be bought by the government at Rs 60 per kg, the chief minister announced.

Sukhu said the Udaipur-Killar road improvement is a top priority for the state government, and the matter has been strongly taken up with the Centre, resulting in the tender process nearing completion.

He directed the Lahaul-Spiti and Chamba district administrations to complete all necessary formalities and expedite the road construction work.

The state government is working on projects worth Rs 62 crore to strengthen power supply in the valley, Sukhu said while announcing 20 new bus permits for the valley, along with a 40 per cent subsidy on bus purchases and a four-month exemption from road tax.

He also announced the opening of Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding School in Pangi Valley and the development of the Civil Hospital in Killar into Adarsh Swasthya Sansthan, besides setting up a milk processing plant with 10 thousand capacities in the Pangi area.

The chief minister declared a 50 per cent waiver on registration fees for homestays and announced Rs 1.5 crore for the improvement of link roads in the valley.

At the state-level event, government employees rendering outstanding services were honoured and the best-performing police stations in the state for the year 2024 were also facilitated.

A colourful cultural programme was presented as part of the celebrations. Later, Chief Minister Sukhu and Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania took part in local folk dance “natti” performed by school children. PTI BPL NSD NSD