Excelsior Correspondent
![Minister of State for Planning, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma inaugurating steel bridge at Kathua on Wednesday.](http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/page7-310.jpg)
KATHUA, July 9: Providing better infrastructure and basic amenities to the people of rural areas is the priority of the Coalition Government. This was stated by the Minister of State for Fisheries, Cooperatives, Finance and Planning Dr Manohar Lal Sharma after dedicating 22 meter steel girder bridge to the public at Daabi in tehsil Hiranagar.
He said that all efforts have been made to accelerate the pace of construction of new roads, bridges, school and health infrastructure during the past five years.
Dr Sharma said that the bridge over Daabi nallah was long pending demand of the people and will give connectivity to adjoining villages Kheri, Khabbal, Babait, Baien, Thmnaal and Gouran. He informed that the work on Kheri bridge is in completion stage and will soon be dedicated to the people. He said a thorough road connectivity to all the adjoining villages will be the next priority.
He said people of kandi and hilly areas are hardworking, and exhorted the rural youth to go for dairy farming, poultry, bee keeping and avail benefits under Government schemes to uplift their socio economic conditions. He said Government has put in place the infrastructure for skill development especially for the people belonging to socially and economically weaker classes.
The Minister while interacting with deputations took note of their problems which were mainly related to scarcity of drinking water, low voltage, electrical poles and road connectivity. He passed on spot instructions to the officers of CAPD, PHE, PDD to act within time and address the projected issues.