Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 36 water resources and public works projects worth Rs 419 crore in Bhatiyat constituency of Chamba district, covering drinking water supply, sewerage, flood protection, roads and bridges.
The projects were announced during Sukhu’s visit to Chowari and are intended to strengthen basic public infrastructure across villages and towns in the constituency. The package includes completed works as well as projects for which construction is set to begin after the foundation-stone ceremonies.
Among the major water-related projects inaugurated was a Rs 60.8-crore lift water supply scheme covering villages across Bhatiyat. The chief minister also inaugurated a Rs 19.2-crore sewerage scheme for Chowari and an Rs 11.6-crore water supply scheme for Samote and adjoining villages.
Flood protection works worth Rs 4.2 crore were inaugurated for Jatroon, Trimath and Saloh villages. Water supply projects at Kakira Kasba and Gahar, costing Rs 37.5 crore and Rs 8.8 crore respectively, were also included in the completed works.
Sukhu laid the foundation stones for seven Jal Shakti projects, including a Rs 31.5-crore sewerage system for Sihunta and adjoining areas. The announced works also include water supply improvements worth Rs 34 crore and firefighting systems for Kakira, Chowari, Sihunta and Samote.
The public works component covers road and bridge connectivity. Five projects were inaugurated, including the upgrade of the Chowari-Jot road at a cost of Rs 20.3 crore and construction of a bridge over the Narellue stream on the Sihunta-Jolna Khas road. Foundation stones were laid for 14 additional public works projects covering several link roads, a new circuit house at Chowari costing Rs 9.7 crore and a combined office building at Sihunta worth Rs 22 crore.
The announcements place water security, wastewater management, disaster protection and road access within a single constituency-level infrastructure package. The projects span both service infrastructure and government facilities, including sewerage networks, firefighting systems, public buildings and transport links.
At a public meeting at Chowari Chowgan, Sukhu also announced the opening of a civil court at Chowari, CBSE-affiliated schools in the constituency and Rs 10 crore for road projects.
The chief minister further said the state government would launch the Mukhyamantri Ka Apna Parivar Sukhi Parivar Yojana from the following month. Under the proposed scheme, eligible women from poor families would receive monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,500, 300 units of free electricity and free medical treatment through health insurance cards. Sukhu said about 20,000 women from 10,000 eligible families in Bhatiyat would benefit from the scheme.
