Shimla, Jan 14 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh government wascommitted towards promoting religious tourism at Tattapaniwhere Makar Sakranti would be celebrated as a district levelfair from next year, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said today.
Addressing a public meeting on Makar Sankranti atTattapani, 65 km from here, Thakur also accused the previousCongress government of burdening the state with a debt of Rs46,500 crore. Congress leaders have still not reconciled withtheir defeat in the assembly elections, he said.
He said the issue of restoration of the hot sulphursprings and bathing ghats would be taken up with the NationalThermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and the Sutlej Jal VidyutNigam limited (SJVNL).
A detailed project report (DPR) would be prepared by theorganisations and restoration work would be taken up soon, hesaid.
Thakur said religious places like Mahu Nag, Kamru Nag,Shikari Devi, Rewalsar would be developed from a religiouspoint of view to promote tourism and the issue would be takenup with the central government for funding.
He said Makar Sankranti was celebrated with greatdevotion and fervour at Tattapani and recalled the days whenhe used to visit the place to take a dip in the Sutlej river.
There was vast scope for religious and adventure tourismin the state and every possible measure would be taken torestore the lost glory of Tattapani and exploit the tourismpotential, he said.
Taking a dig at the Congress, Thakur said the party wasyet to reconcile to the fact that the people had voted it outof power and asked its leaders to accept the verdict withgrace.
He alleged that the Congress had burdened the state witha debt of Rs 46,500 crore and despite liberal financialassistance from the Centre, there was no development.
In run up to the elections, 40 to 50 inaugurations andfoundations stones were laid by the former chief minister andthe Congress leaders to fool the people but it was all invain, he claimed.
He alleged that under the Congress rule the law and ordersituation was bad in the state.
"The Gudiya rape and murder case had shocked the peopleand the arrest of nine police officials, including an IG andan SP, in the custodial death case had sullied the image ofpolice. Its credibility had dipped so much that demands weremade to hand over all sensitive cases to the CBI," he alleged.
He said that the age limit for old age pension had beenreduced from 80 to 70 years to benefit senior citizens and asub-committee was set up to formulate a substantive policy inthis regard.
The chief minister dubbed the decision of the previousCongress government to grant unemployment allowance to joblessyouths as a "disastrous" decision and an election stunt.
The chief minister asked the officers concerned toprepare a detailed project report of the Karsog bypass.
He also issued directions for preparation of a DPR of theapproach road to Maanju and announced the release of Rs 10lakh for it.
Earlier, he had inaugurated the state-level LegalServices Camp at Sunni and unveiled the statue of Lord 'ShaniDev' near Lakshmi Narayan Temple.
He also inaugurated the medical camp organised jointly byHedgewar Samiti, Durga Devi Bihari Lal Birochan Lal (DDBL)Charitable Trust and Almighty Blessings at Tattapani.
Named after Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the founder ofRashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the samiti is involved in socialwelfare. PTI PCLAAR.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.