DW BUREAU / Bilaspur (HP)

Pending payments to Public Works Department (PWD) contractors would be cleared within a week, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Saturday.

Sukhu also announced the beautification of the Shri Naina Devi Ji temple complex in the Bilapsur district at a cost of Rs 100 crore.

During his one-day visit to the Naina Devi Assembly constituency, Sukhu claimed the state government was overcoming central government-imposed restrictions and moving forward. He assured that all pending payments to PWD contractors would be cleared within a week. He said the temple's beautification would be carried out in three phases. Along with the Shri Naina Devi Ji temple, the state government would also beautify Maa Chintpurni, Maa Jwalamukhi, Baba Balak Nath and other temples in the future, a statement issued here said.

He also announced the opening of a division of the PWD and the Jal Shakti Department at Jagatkhana in the Naina Devi constituency, along with a new sub-tehsil in Namhol.

Taking a dig at the BJP leaders, the CM alleged that ever since the Congress secured 40 MLAs, the BJP has been spreading rumours, attempting to create unrest and chaos in the state. He accused the BJP leaders of spreading "misinformation' to tarnish the reputation of the state and the government.

Speaking about the Bhanupalli railway line, the chief minister claimed that the state government has contributed its share for the railway line up to Bilaspur and urged the central government to cover the remaining expenses.

Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh said that Rs 80 crore would be allocated for strengthening the Navgaon-Bari road and the work would commence soon. An estimate of Rs 3 crore has been prepared for widening and strengthening the road leading to the Naina Devi temple, he added.

(editor@dailyworld.in)