CM Sukhu hikes Devta honorarium by 5% at Kullu Dussehra

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced a 5 percent increase in honorariums for deities at the conclusion of the International Kullu Dussehra Festival in Dhalpur, Kullu. He also raised the minimum support price of ginger from Rs 30 to Rs 40 per kg and announced higher payments for traditional musicians and women’s groups.

Addressing the closing ceremony at Lal Chand Prarthi Kala Kendra, CM Sukhu announced a 10 percent increase in honorariums for the Bajantari Sangh, Rs 1,100 for each gur accompanying a deity and Rs 35,000 for each women’s group. He said artists from more than 15 countries had showcased their cultures during the festival.

CM Sukhu further announced that women purchasing land in Himachal Pradesh would pay a 4 percent registration fee. He said the government would issue a notification soon.

Targeting the previous BJP government, CM Sukhu alleged that the government had leased 5,000 bighas of land in Nalagarh for Rs 1 crore under a package, despite the land being worth Rs 10,000 crore. He also criticised former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur over the BJP government’s record on protecting state assets and public welfare.

On education, CM Sukhu said CBSE schools were being opened in rural areas to improve access to quality education. He claimed Himachal Pradesh had improved from 21st position in an earlier central government assessment of education quality to fifth in the latest survey.

The Chief Minister also announced Rs 5 crore for the Manikaran road, Rs 27 crore for sewerage work in Bhuntar and a new electricity board sub-division in the town. He indicated that another announcement concerning Kullu would follow.