Medical reimbursement facility to be provided to all retired employees of HPBSE: Chief Minister

Dharamsala, January 20, 2022: Chief Minister  Jai Ram Thakur launched Apna Kangra App and Apna Kangra hamper (a product handcrafted by Self help groups) at Dharamshala in Kangra district today.  He said that this hamper will have the collection of products of different self help groups from district Kangra.  He said that the Apna Kangra App would provide a unique experience for any tourist who plans to explore various destinations in Kangra. He said that the motto of Apna Kangra was to empower rural women and provide opportunities to youth through tourism. He said that this App would also provide hospitality services like hotels, homestays, transport, petrol pumps, emergency services etc. He said that the Apna Kangra App would provide a unique life changing experience for the tourists on the one hand and empower the rural population on the other. It provides an e-marketing platform for SHG products of district Kangra to sell their products, he added.
The Chief Minister also virtually inaugurated Radhe Krishna Cow Sanctuary at  Luthan in Jawalamukhi Vidhan Sabha area of Kangra district from Dharamshala today.
While addressing the people virtually from Dharamshala, Chief Minister said that the State Government was aimed to construct Cow Sanctuaries and Gau Sadans in the State for stray animals. He said that the Government also decided to levy cess of Rs. 1 per bottle of liquor for effective management and operation of cow sanctuaries and Gau Sadans.
Jai Ram Thakur said that he dedicated a cow sanctuary at Sunni in Shimla district with a capacity to house 500 cows recently. He said that the cow sanctuaries at Luthan would have a capacity to house 1000 cows. He said that the State Government was providing Rs. 500 per cow per month to Gau Sadans so that they can make proper arrangements of fodder for them. He also urged the people of the State to ensure that cattle were not abandoned and if any cattle is seen roaming on roads, the same must be sent to cow sanctuaries and Gau Sadans. 
The Chief Minister said that this Cow Sanctuary has been established by spending an amount of Rs 3.96 crore. He said that there were about 19,000 cattle in different Cow sanctuaries of the State.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur announced that all the retired employees of the Board would be provided medical reimbursement facilities as was being given to the other retired employees of the State. This decision of the State Government would benefit over 750 retired employees of the Board. He said that the previous State Government on 24th March, 2014 has expressed its inability to provide facilities of medical reimbursement to the pensioners of the Board and stopped this facility from April, 2014.
Jai Ram Thakur said that as per estimate an amount of Rs 1.61 crore would be spent every year to provide benefit of this scheme to the pensioners of the Board. He said that the Board would bear all these expenses for its own resources.
He said that the State Government has also initiated schemes such as Mukhya Mantri HIMCARE to ensure that no one in the State was deprived of better medical facilities for want of funds.
 Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Virender Kanwar Deputy Chairman H.P. Planning Board Ramesh Chand Dhawala ,Deputy Commissioner Kangra Dr. Nipun Jindal ,MLAs Vishal Neharia, Arjun Singh and Arun Kuka and the  Chairman Woolfed Trilok Kapoor were present on the occasion.