Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Jai Ram Thakur, while interacting in the evening session of Media Mahamanthan Conclave titled ‘Baat Bharat Ki’ (Voice of Nation) on completion of 75 years of publication of the two National Weeklies’ Panchjanya’ and ‘Organiser’ (English) in New Delhi on Sunday (May 22), said as the Nation commemorates 75 years of Independence, it is a matter of great pride that the above two National weeklies are also celebrating their historical journey of 75 years and congratulated the ‘Bharat Prakashan’ and organisers for the same.
A day-long Conclave ‘Baat Bharat Ki’ witnessed the participation of eight Chief Ministers of the BJP ruling states viz; Uttarakhand, Haryana, Manipur, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Assam. The Conclave highlighted the glorious journey of ‘Panchjayna’ and the ‘Organiser’ weeklies, besides Cultural and Economic growth of India, Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav, India’s broad-spectrum development and similar other important topics related to the Pride of India.
The Chief Minister, while highlighting the glorious journey of the weeklies, remembered Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay, who was the founder of Panchjanya, and the late Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who became the first Editor of Panchjanaya in 1948 and under whose guidance these publications gained more recognition and achieved the highest standard of professionalism. The Organiser was started in 1947 as an English weekly.
Stressing upon digging out the truth and highlighting the issues related to the common man, the Chief Minister said that the Panchjanya and the English weekly Organiser always stood for the rights of the common man in its true perspective. Whatever may have been the circumstances, these two publications highlighted Nationalism without any suppression and outside influence and treaded on the path of truth and reality.
“In the present era of Social media and easy internet access, there is no scarcity of news but to cater the value based news accompanied with factual information is the major challenge to the present media and I am proud that Panchjanya and Organiser weeklies have been doing this from last 75 years with zeal,” said the Chief Minister.
He also congratulated the media personnel who were honoured during the occasion for the year 2021 for maintaining the highest standards of their professionalism in print, electronic and digital media and earning public faith through their work. He said that it is the foremost duty of the Journalists to highlight social issues in the right direction and provide or highlight the facts before the people.
The Chief Minister also appreciated the announcement of the Central Government to give subsidy up to Rs. 200 per Gas Cylinder to benefit over nine crore beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana. Around 1.37 lakh beneficiaries in Himachal would also be benefited from this, he added. The beneficiaries would receive a subsidy on up to 12 cylinders. He also welcomed the Union Government’s decision to bring down the Petrol price by Rs. 9.50 while that of diesel by rupees Seven. He also welcomed the decision of fertiliser subsidy of Rs. 1.10 lakh crore in addition to Rs. 1.05 lakh crore earlier.
Answering the query during the interaction, the Chief Minister said that the Aam Aadmi Party has no future in the long run though they do propaganda in the news. Taking a jibe, the Chief Minister said that AAP has no future in hills, “Woh Pahad Nahin Chadh Payenge (they won’t be able to climb steep up the hills).” He said their (AAP) state unit was dissolved recently because of their lack of political vision for Himachal Pradesh, adding that the political scenario in Punjab was different, and the people of Himachal Pradesh are not used to blame games as being played by AAP.
He said that the State government had achieved many milestones in the field of Health, Education and Social Service sectors. The State government launched Grihini Suvidha Yojna to benefit the poorest of the poor by providing them smoke-less Chullahas. The State government has mulled providing every house with smokeless gas stoves. We have also launched Mukhya Mantri Swablamban Yojna for the youth aged between 18 to 45 years to encourage them for self-employment viz; the opening of restaurants, fitness centres, etc. there is a provision of providing 25 to 30 per cent subsidy up to the investment of rupees one crore for purchasing machinery and equipment for running the business. Under the scheme, women aged between 18 to 50 years are being provided subsidies up to 35 per cent.
The State government has also launched Mukhya Mantri Shagun Yojna, under which a sum of Rs. 31000 was being provided as financial assistance to girls of BPL families, said the Chief Minister. Himachal is the first state to provide 50 per cent reservation to women in Panchayati Raj Institutions.
In the field of health, the State government launched Mukhya Mantri Sahara Yojna to benefit around 20,000 beneficiaries with serious ailments. The Chief Minister also briefed about other welfare schemes launched in the State for the welfare of the people.
He was also honoured on occasion by the organisers with a shawl and memento. The Chief Minister also released the books and a special edition on Ram Mandir, titled Rashtriya Mandir, published by Panchjanaya.
