Want to see Himachal Pradesh most developed: President in Assembly

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 17

President Ram Nath Kovind today said Himachal Pradesh had emerged as a model hill state and he hoped it would emerge as the most developed state of the country in its onward journey.

The President addressed a special session of the Himachal Assembly to mark the golden jubilee of its statehood. “Himachal’s journey of development is remarkable and I hope it becomes the “Sirmaur” (crown) of the country, which is also a district in the state,” he said. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Union Minister Anurag Thakur, former CM PK Dhumal, several former Speakers and 73 former MLAs attended the function.

This is the third occasion when a President is addressing the Vidhan Sabha. Earlier, APJ Abdul Kalam (2003) and Pranab Mukherjee (2014) have addressed special sessions. The Himachal Vidhan Sabha building was built in 1925 as Shimla remained the summer capital of the British. “This Council Chamber building where we are meeting has been witness to many historic moments. It was here that Vithalbhai Patel defeated the British nominee to win the Central Legislative Assembly election,” he said. Lauding the democratic consciousness of people of the state, he said the first voter of Independent India —- 101-year-old Ram Sharan Negi of Kinnaur —- was the brand ambassador of the Election Commission of India.

“According to a report of the NITI Aayog, Himachal Pradesh ranks second in the country in the Sustainable Development Goals – India Index 2020-21,” he said. He said the state has vast potential in the agriculture, horticulture, tourism and education sectors which can help it to surge ahead.

He praised the efforts of all previous governments, including those headed by first CM Dr YS Parmar, Thakur Ram Lal, Shanta Kumar, Prem Kumar Dhumal and Virbhadra Singh. The President said the Himachal Assembly became the first paperless Vidhan Sabha of the country in 2014, a feat which would go a long way in protecting the environment.