Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today inaugurated the Rs. 15.43 crore building of Jawahar Lal Nehru Fine Arts Government College, Loharab, in Shimla Rural Assembly constituency. He also laid the foundation stone of Block Development office building at Totu to be constructed with a cost of Rs. 5 crore.

Addressing a well attended public meeting on the occasion, the Chief Minister announced to start new courses and to develop smart classes in the Fine Arts College, besides to provide Rs. 20 lakh for the sports ground. He said that bus service would be started for the area and efforts would also be made to provide hostel facilities in the college.

The state government is making comprehensive reforms in education and special priority is being given to qualitative education, he said and added that a provision has been made for annual ranking of all educational institutions and introduction of performance based grant system from the next fiscal. This system will be developed through an online portal. He said that multi-dimensional provisions have been made to develop reading and writing culture among the students.

He said that the foundation of this Fine Arts College was laid by former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and presently students from 17 states were studying in this institute. He assured that quality education would be ensured in this institute besides providing all possible facilities to the students. The Chief Minister also elaborated the Rajiv Gandhi Day-Boarding School, Cluster System, Education in English Medium, Dr. Y.S. Parmar Vidyarthi Rin Yojna, Mukhya Mantri Sukh-Shiksha Yojana, Mukya Mantri Sukh-Ashray Yojana, MSP and hike in milk purchase rates, disaster relief package and various other schemes. He said that the state government was according top priority to strengthening the agriculture based rural economy and zero tolerance towards corruption.

Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, Anirudh Singh said that the state government was ensuring equitable development of every section and every area. Efforts were being made to strengthen the rural economy. He also lauded the increase in the daily wage of MNREGA workers from Rs 240 to Rs 300 announced in the budget.

Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh said that Shimla Rural Assembly constituency was emerging as a model in terms of development. He said that developmental works worth Rs 170 crore were in progress in this assembly segment during the last one year. He also presented various developmental demands of the area before the Chief Minister.
Earlier, college Principal Kamayani Bisht and Gram Panchayat Pradhan Jeet Singh Thakur welcomed the Chief Minister.

Block Congress President Gopal Sharma also spoke on the occasion.
Panchayat Samiti President Saroj Sharma, former MLAs Sohan Lal and Chiranji Lal, Secretary State Congress Committee Chandra Shekhar Sharma, Director Rural Development, Raghav Sharma, SP Sanjeev Gandhi, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Abhishek Verma were also present on the occasion amongst others.