Shanta Kumar
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Shanta Kumar (born 12 September 1934) is a former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh and a former minister in Government of India. He is a leader of Bharatiya Janata Party. He was elected to the 9th Lok Sabha from Kangra constituency in 1989. He was re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 1998 and 1999 from the same constituency. He has written a number of books .
Shanta Kumar is a BJP veteran who was born and bred in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ideology. He was hardly 17 when in 1953 he was arrested during Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s Kashmir Andolan. With a political career spanning more than five decades, he was one of the founder- members of Bharatiya Jana Sangh and member of its National Working Committee. In 1977 he became the first-ever non-Congress Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. Presently, he is the National Vice-President of Bharatiya Janata Party. His first tenure as chief minister is remembered as paaniwala Mukhya Mantri, and for innovative Antyodaya Yojna, and fighting for Himachal’s rights which had been ignored at the time of reorganization of Punjab.
His second tenure as chief minister was marked by his pioneering campaign to introduce private sector participation to exploit the vast potential in power generation and tourism the State had. He introduced the innovative scheme of installing hand-pumps in every part of the State to tide over water shortage. He succeeded in getting Union Government agree to grant 12 per cent free power to the State for the hydroelectric projects established in the State. As Union Minister for Food and Rural Development, he pioneered the Antodya Ann Yojna, Hariali, Swajaldhara which continue to be as popular as ever even after the change of governments both in Hiamachal and at the Centre.
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[edit] Swami Vivekanand Medical College and Hospital Palampur
Shanta Kumar has put the foundation stone for this project in November 1992, when he was the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh. Unfortunately, centre dissolved Shanta Kumar govt in December 1992, giving reason of Ayodhya incident and after that none of other Himachal Pradesh government showed any interest in this hospital. Shanta Kumar is still trying to make this project a success. Currently Vivekanand Medical Research Trust headed by Shanta Kumar is building this project. Swami Ramdev, the world famous yoga guru, inaugurated a treatment centre set up under the Vivekanand Medical Research Trust in November 2005. The first phase of the very ambitious Vivekanand Hospital, a dream project of Shanta Kumar has become functional after almost 13 years. A veteran, intelligent, great leader and a great visionary who was the first and the only one to take a firm stand in this country for "NO WORK NO PAY" which got implemented after his arduous efforts, the whole country followed his decision afterwards, in short he is the FIAT.He went and asked every citizen of Himachal Pradesh to donate some effort as well as money.He says he kept demanding from people until the G.M.C.& Hospital started and worked well. For this purpose every student of Govt. Senior Secondary School Sansal also donated Rs.50-/. from their side.
[edit] Dhauladhar Nature Park, Gopalpur
Shanta Kumar also during his chief ministership in 1991-92 did the inauguration of a nature park at Gopalpur in Palampur tehsil. The nature park provided a source of livelihood for the local people and also enhanced the tourist flow to the region.
[edit] Choudhary Saravan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University
A brain child of the visionary leader, who undertook the project during his tenure to provide an impetus to the agriculture, horticulture,research in the state which was lacking the base of institutions at that time. A sparing campus spread over an area of 10sq. km on the NH20.Over the years this university has done research on various projects sponsored by the state and center government like study of the climate in the hill state and its suitability to various crops in different regions.
