SHIMLA: Starting his political career as a student leader at Himachal Pradesh University, Virender Kashyap today is a two-time MP from Shimla (SC) constituency. He was first elected to Lok Sabha in 2009 and again in 2014. This year, he will be looking to score a politcal hat-trick and become the second most elected MP from the seat.In this term, he raised many issues in Parliament, ranging from giving ST status to the Hatti community of Sirmaur and expansion of rail lines, to setting up of a trauma centre in the state’s largest industrial hub – Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh. For this, he also met Union health minister J P Nadda.A prominent Dalit face of BJP in Himachal, Kashyap is the founder of ‘Samajik Dalit Pirit Uthan Sansthan’, which works for uplifting socially depressed communities. He has also demanded the beautification of the Uncesco world heritage Kalka-Shimla rail line and modernisation of railway stations at Dharampur, Kumarhatti, Barog, Kandaghat, Kaithlighat, and Summerhill. He also sought a rail service between Kalka and Haridwar as most residents of Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur go to Haridwar for the last rites of their loved ones.For industry, Kashyap demanded the laying of railway line between Ghanauli (Punjab) and Dehradun (Uttarakhand) via Nalagarh, Baddi, Barotiwala, Kala Amb and Paonta Sahib. During his term, the foundation stone of an incubation centre of Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) was laid at Mehli near Shimla. The centre, to be built over 14,000 sq ft, is estimated to cost Rs 10 crore. This would accommodate 15-20 startups with direct employment of 300-400.With the apple economy of Himachal Pradesh facing a threat from climate change and imports, Kashyap has requested Union minister for commerce Suresh Prabhu to increase import duty on the fruit. He said apple imports rose from 1.22 lakh tonnes to 3 lakh tonnes in five years and this had hit domestic apple growers hard. He claims that he ensured 100% utilisation of MPLAD fund in his parliamentary constituency. Of the total Rs 22.5 crore sanctioned under the scheme, he allocated Rs 8.85 crore to Shimla district , Rs 5.95 crore to Sirmaur, and Rs 7.7 crore to Solan.

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