&
By Ravindra Saini
“Development of the country is not possible without adequate rural development and rural development is impossible until the Panchayats are given more power,” said Shri B.C. Khanduri, former Union Minister of Surface Transport. He was speaking at a function held in Dehradun to felicitate Shri Mohan Singh Rawat ‘Gaonwasi’ on his being elected the national coordinator of BJP Panchayat cell. Shri Khanduri called upon the party workers to put aside their individual interests and work unitedly for strengthening the party in Uttaranchal.
Congratulating Shri Gaonwasi, former Chief Minister of Uttaranchal, Nityanand Swami said that by appointing Shri Gaonvasi the national coordinator of the party’s Panchayat cell, the national leadership of BJP had honoured the party workers of Uttaranchal. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Gaonwasi said, “We have our heads down in terms of development in rural areas as the government has ignored rural areas of Uttaranchal… BJP is the only party that has been thinking seriously over rural development in the state.” He called upon the party workers to fight against Maoist, ISI and Christian missionaries who are hindering development in the state.
Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Harbans Kapoor and Trivendra Singh Rawat also addressed the meeting. Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, M. S. Rana, Sahadev Singh Pundir and Rajendra Singh Tomar were also present on the occasion.
Meanwhile the BJP ex-soldiers cell organised a health camp at Barotiwala in Dehradun on January 18. Explaining the objective of the camp, Shri Romi Bajaj said the camp was organised to create medical awareness among and provide free medicines to the poor, needy and weaker sections of the society. The rural people are mostly deprived of medical facilities because of poverty and other reasons. “We are in the process of organising more such camps.” Prominent doctors from Dehradun who participated in the camp included Dr Aarti Luthera (gynaecologist), Dr Archana Gulati (skin specialist), Dr Smita Malaviya (paediatrician), Dr Shiwani Singh (gynaecologist), Dr Gaurav Luthera (eye specialist), Dr Alok Jain (ENT), Dr Vimal Kant Nautiyal (dentist), Dr Manu Walia (medicine). About 1,000 patients from 25 villages attended the camp. Medicines worth Rs 70,000 were distributed to the patients. Col. (retd.) R.S. Bisht, Capt. (retd.) Paramveer Singh, Col. (retd.) J.R. Verma, Subedar (retd.) Gopal Dogra, K.C. Chandel, Sandhya Gurung, Capt. (retd.) Birbal Chauhan, Capt. (retd.) Dharam Singh, Subedar (retd.) Hoshiyar Singh, Subedar (retd.) Ajmer Singh Rana, Hav. (retd.) Sita Ram, Capt. (retd.) Sarvan Singh, Subedar (retd.) Prem Singh Saswal, Dr Vimal Kant Nautiyal, Sahdev Singh Pundir, Rajendra Singh Tomar and Arun Mittal were also present on the occasion.
