Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today presented the Lifetime Achievement Awards, conferred by 'Himalaya Sahitya and Sanskriti Manch Himachal Pradesh', to five veteran litterateurs.
Satyen Sharma, Molu Ram Thakur, Sunder Lohia, Ram Dayal Neeraj and Saroj Vashisth were honoured for their outstanding and long lasting creative contribution to literature.
Speaking at the occasion, Chief Minister announced that the state government will reopen all the 'Writers Home' which were closed during the previous BJP regime.
"Congress government had set up Writers Home in all districts but previous BJP government overlooked this scheme and all the Homes were closed one by one," Singh said.
Sanskriti Sadan at Dharamshala was given to Central University for its camp office, the Chief Minister said, adding that the government has decided to hand over this building to writers after the university building is complete.
The Chief Minister announced that the state government will provide free traveling facility to the State Awardees and Academy Awardees in HRTC buses, besides purchasing books worth Rs 20,000 written by Himachali writers.
Singh said that these announcements were made by him during the Academy Award Ceremony held at Hotel Holiday Home in 2007 but the previous government was insensitive towards writers and no state or Academy awards were given by it.
The government would fix the accountability on officers who failed to present State Awards and Academy Awards instituted by Language and Culture Department, he added.
SR Harnote, Chairman, Himalaya Sahitya and Sanskriti Manch welcomed the Chief Minister and apprised him about the activities of the Manch.
