Himachal Pradesh to launch LED promotion programme

SHIMLA, Apr 15: Himachal Pradesh today announced launching of "LED promotion programme" for saving energy by providing three LED bulbs to the consumers at 50 percent of market price. Presiding over the state level function at Chamba to mark 68th Himachal Pradesh Day, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said the consumers would have to pay only Rs 10 initially and Rs 10 per bulb would be recovered along with monthly electricity bills. Reiterating the resolve of the government to ensure inclusive and uniform development of the state and follow the motto 'Sarv Kalyan- Samagra Vikas', Singh said the state had made remarkable progress during past two years and benefited all sections of the society. Daily wages of the daily wager had been enhanced to Rs 180 from April 1, this year, services of daily wagers, completing seven years of service on ?March 31, 2015 and contract employees completing five years of services are being regularised and all part time workers completing eight years of service would be made daily wagers and regularised as per the government policy. The State Government has also decided to cover all those Daily Wage Workers, Part-Time Workers, Anganwari Workers and Helpers and Mid-Day Meal Workers, who are not covered under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana and the Mukhya Mantri State Health Care Scheme to provide them basic and critical health care, he added. Singh said the honorarium of part-time water carriers has been increased from Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,700 per month during the last two and daily wages from Rs 150 to Rs 180. Referring to the progress made by the state during past 67 years, chief minister said state ranked among the top states in key sectors like education, health, roads, electrification and drinking water and per capita income of the state has increased from Rs 240 in 1948 to Rs 1,04,943. As many as 3,04,921 aged, widows and persons with disabilities were receiving social security pension of Rs 600 per month, person above 80 years of age were getting Rs 1,100 per month irrespective of their income and government has sanctioned 58,534 new pension cases.