PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Cabinet minister Ganesh Joshi paid floral tribute to former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna recipient Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth anniversary at Atal Udyan, Mussoorie. Later, he attended the second day of the Mussoorie Winterline Carnival which was dedicated to Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Addressing the gathering, Joshi described Vajpayee as a towering statesman, a renowned Hindi poet, journalist and an impressive orator. Recalling the 1999 Kargil War, the minister said Vajpayee ensured full State honours for martyred soldiers by sending their mortal remains to their native villages. He added that initiatives were taken to make martyrs’ families self-reliant through allotment of gas agencies and petrol pumps.
Joshi said schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana reflected Vajpayee’s visionary leadership by connecting remote villages with development. He also termed the creation of Uttarakhand as a separate state and the One Rank One Pension concept as Vajpayee’s historic contributions.
Earlier, the minister reviewed traffic arrangements in Mussoorie for the carnival and New Year celebrations, directing officials to ensure smooth traffic movement and strict action against illegal parking. Municipal council chairwoman Meera Saklani and others were also present on the occasion.
