Shimla, June 25,
On Tuesday evening, Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh (HP) Legislative Assembly, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, met with Dr. Arvind Panagariya, Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission, at Hotel Cecil. The meeting, which took place at 7:30 pm and lasted for 19 minutes, focused on urgent financial needs for key infrastructure projects, including the reconstruction of the 120-year-old Metropole MLA residences and replacing windows in the historic Council Chamber.
During the discussion, Pathania presented a detailed case for a generous financial grant to support various critical projects within the Legislative Assembly. He emphasized the dire need to reconstruct the aging Metropole residential complex for MLAs, estimating the cost at Rs 165 crore. Additionally, he highlighted the necessity of replacing the wooden windows of the Council Chamber with UPVC windows, at an estimated cost of Rs 3.50 crore.
Pathania also addressed the absence of a residence for the Deputy Speaker, with construction costs estimated at Rs 2.50 crore. He proposed a multi-storey underground parking and recreation room in the Legislative Assembly complex, costing Rs 9 crore, and underscored the need for modular furniture, costing Rs 10 crore. Furthermore, he highlighted the requirement for a residential complex for Legislative Assembly Secretariat employees, with a proposed budget of Rs 60 crore. Overall, he requested a total financial grant of Rs 250 crore from the Finance Commission.
Highlighting the historical significance and heritage value of the Council Chamber and Vitthalbhai Bhawan, constructed between 1920-25, Mr. Pathania stressed the importance of their maintenance and modernization. He also noted the higher construction costs in the hilly state and the need for resources to develop tourism, aiming for state self-reliance.
Dr. Panagariya listened attentively to the demands and assured Pathania that he would seriously consider them.
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