Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday ridiculed the charges of the Opposition of using helicopter for visiting the far flung areas of the State saying that he was using it for the welfare of the common man and not for personal use as was being done by the previous State Government.

Aaddressing a public meeting at Kanjayan in Bhoranj Assembly constituency of Hamirpur district, he said it was unfortunate that the Opposition leaders are pointing finger at his use of helicopter and it seems that they have no issue and are raking up a non-issue in a desperate attempt to remain in news.

He said the Congress leaders had been making unnecessary hue and cry about his visits to Delhi. Now, when the present state government has succeeded in getting approval of developmental projects worth thousands of crores for the State, their mouths are glued and eyes are bewildered.

He announced opening of Irrigation and Public Health and Public Works Department Divisions at Bhoranj and said  Rs 90 crore water supply scheme has been posed for BRICS funding for Bhoranj which would benefit over 45,000 population of the area. He said that a Rs 157 crore project for channelisation of Seer Khud has been sent to the Centre, which would be approved soon.

The Chief Minister laid foundation stones and dedicated developmental projects worth Rs 34 crore in the constituency.

He said it was due to the wholehearted support of the people of the state that he got the opportunity to head the State Government which is completing its one year in office on December 27. Thakur said Jan Manch Programme of the State Government is proving a boon for redressal of the grievances of the masses, adding till date over 20,000 grievances has been redressed through the Jan Manch.

He said the State Government has launched Grihini Suvidha Yojna for providing free gas connection to the women who have not been covered under Ujjawala Yojana of the Centre Government.

Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said the State has lot of expectations from the Chief Minister and it is a good sign that the one year tenure of the present State Government has been full of achievements. 

Irrigation and Public Health Minister Mahender Singh Thakur said that the State Government has succeeded in getting Rs 3,267 crore external aided water supply projects sanctioned for the State.

Member of Parliament Anurag Thakur said the State Government has succeeded in getting assistance of crores of rupees from the Centre during this short period of one year. He detailed various developmental and welfare schemes launched by the Centre Government for the welfare of the common man.