Shimla, Mar 11 (PTI) Legislators from both the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP on Tuesday paid tributes to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former minister Kishan Kapoor in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly.

Former PM Singh, the architect of India's economic reforms, died on December 26 last year at the age of 92 following age-related complications. Kishan Kapoor, a prominent Gaddi leader, passed away on February 1, 2024 at PGI Chandigarh after a prolonged illness. He was 74.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that it was former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who initiated MNREGA to provide employment, especially in rural areas, and also started the practice of establishing technology-based institutions.

He added that the foundation of the Atal Tunnel was laid by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi during the tenure of Manmohan Singh. During his tenure, Himachal Pradesh received several prestigious institutions, including the Medical College in Ner Chowk, IIM Sirmaur and IIIT Una.

Sukhu praised Singh, a renowned economist, bureaucrat, politician, and social worker, for being honored by international institutions for his work.

Remembering former MP and Minister Kishan Kapoor, Sukhu said that Kapoor became a legislator for the first time in 1990 and served the people selflessly.

Paying tributes to Manmohan Singh, Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said that, generally, Prime Ministers are politicians, but Singh was one who held prestigious positions, including Chairman of the Reserve Bank of India, Economic Advisor, and Finance Minister, before becoming the Prime Minister.

Thakur also praised Kishan Kapoor, a five-time MLA, describing him as a humble, down-to-earth, and straightforward person with a clean image. He noted that Kapoor won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with the second-highest margin in the country, about 4.80 lakh votes. Thakur added that Kapoor always raised the voice of the Gaddi community.

Other members of the House who paid tribute to the deceased leaders included Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Congress ministers Chander Kumar, Dhani Ram Shandil, and Rajesh Dharmani, as well as BJP legislators Vipin Parmar, Sudhir Sharma, and Janak Raj. PTI BPL ARD ARD