DHARAMSHALA: The Himachal government is committed to providing sufficient water for drinking and irrigation purposes across the state, Irrigation and Public Health Minister Mahender Singh said today.
Addressing a large gathering at the police stadium here on Republic Day, the minister said, "A scheme of Rs 3267 crore is being launched to strengthen drinking water supplies in rural areas. Another Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) department scheme of Rs 1134 crore is coming soon to uplift the horticulture sector."
Speaking at the occasion, Singh said the officers of the horticulture department had decided to adopt three panchayats each to help develop fruit cultivation in the area.
"In the first phase, the officers have adopted 133 panchayats of northern Himachal," he added. The scheme will be spread to the entire state soon.
He said the government had constituted committees at the sub division level to solve the problem of stray animals, and the results would soon be visible.
The minister said the inclusion of Kasouli, Mandi, Kullu, Dharamshala, Shimla, Nathpa Jhakhari and Rampur in the UDAN scheme of the central government would promote tourism and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the same.