Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while interacting with media at Reckong Peo in Kinnaur district today said that State Government was committed for welfare and development of tribal areas and has considerably enhanced the budget under Tribal Sub Plan.
Chief Minister said that the Government was ensuring that pace of development goes uninterrupted even during the Covid-19 pandemic. He said that the State Government has decided to give certain relaxation from 31st May, 2021 by allowing shops and other business establishments to remain open for five hours from 9.00 am to 2.00 pm for five days a week. He said that Government offices would also function with 30 percent attendance. He expressed satisfaction that the number of Covid cases have been brought down from 40, 000 to 18000, but the increase in number of Covid deaths was still a matter of concern.
Jai Ram Thakur said the State Government has strived hard for capacity enhancement. He said that the bed capacity in the State had been increased from existing 1200 to about 5000 beds. He said that similarly the State had increased the storage capacity of oxygen by 25 MT. He said that on the demand of State Government, the Central Government has enhanced quota of oxygen from 15 MT to 40 MT.
Chief Minister said that with the liberal assistance from the Centre, today the State had about 6300 D-Type and 2250 B Type oxygen cylinders. He said that over 1700 oxygen concentrators have been made available in the health institutions. He said that all the medical colleges have PSA Oxygen Plants. He said that seven PSA Plants have started functioning in the State whereas two additional PSA plants would be made functional very soon. He said that about a year ago the State had only 50 functional ventilators which have been increased to about 700 ventilators.
Tribal Development Minister Dr. Ram Lal Markanda, Vice Chairman, Himachal Pradesh State Forest Development Corporation Surat Negi, Chairman Zila Parishad Nihal Singh, Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu, Deputy Commissioner Kinnaur Hemraj Bairwa, SP R.S. Rana, Commandant ITBP Devender Kumar and other officers were also present on the occasion.
