In the 12th Himachal Pradesh Gorkha Welfare Board meeting, Chief Minister said that State Government has raised its demand to increase recruitment quota to Himachali youth in armed forces with Government of India and relaxed physical standards to the youth of Gorkha community in State police force.
Chief Minister said that State youth are keen to join armed and paramilitary forces, hence raised the demand with Government of India to abolish the Recruitable Male Population (RMP) conditions so that more aspiring youth were recruited to the forces. He said that Gorkha community had constituted significantly in guarding national frontiers. He said that State Government had got the physical standards relaxed to the youth from Gorkha community. He said that Gorkha male with 5 feet and 4 inches (165 cm) height and female with 5 feet (150cm) were henceforth eligible to join State police services.
Prof. Dhumal said that Deputy Commissioner, ADM, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Tehsildar, Naib Tehsildar were competent designated authorities to issue Other Backward Classes certificate to the members of Gorkha community, after observing all required codal formalities. He said that State Government had provided Rs. 20 lakh for beautification of Martyrs Majer Durga Mall and Capt. Dal Bahadur Memorial at Dari (Dharamshala). He said that commonman had been the focal point of all development and welfare programmes of the State Government so that development process was started from the grass rootlevel.
Chief Minister said that non-official members of the Board were the ambassadors of the State Government who needed to educate beneficiaries about the policies and programmes of the State Government so that benefit of all schemes could percolate down to the targeted groups. He advised them to help deserving sections to avail benefits under different schemes. He said that two pairs of school uniform would be provided to students upto 10th standard under Atal School Uniform Scheme free of cost.
Chief Minister said that non-official members of the Board were the ambassadors of the State Government who needed to educate beneficiaries about the policies and programmes of the State Government so that benefit of all schemes could percolate down to the targeted groups. He advised them to help deserving sections to avail benefits under different schemes. He said that two pairs of school uniform would be provided to students upto 10th standard under Atal School Uniform Scheme free of cost.
He said that second phase of the ‘Mukhya Mantri Vidyarthi Swasthya Yojna’ had been launched in the schools to benefit about 10 lakh students and also administer them de-worming pills. He said that free ambulance services under Atal Swasthya Sewa was available besides free institutional delivery and health care of mother and child under Matri Sewa Yojna.
Later, addressing 11th meeting of Labana Welfare Board, Prem Kumar Dhumal said that State Government was providing 12 percent reservation in direct recruitment to Class-I and II posts and 18 percent to class-III posts to the candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes categories in Government jobs, with a view to provide them more employment opportunities in Government services. He said that State had the lowest power tariff in the Country and BPL domestic consumers were paying 70 paise for each unit consumed while other APL domestic consumers were paying Rs. 1.00 per unit and to compensate the HPSEBL, State Government was providing a subsidy of Rs. 166.40 crore during current financial year. He said that Rs. 130 crore were being spent on subsidised essential commodities.
Prof. Dhumal said that a Mini Anganwari had been sanctioned for opening in Badla Mohalla in Gram Panchayat Lamlehari in Una district. He said that funds had been provided for construction of check dams on Sukhand Khads in district Mandi besides constructing community centre and crematorium in Bhour village in Sundernagar. He said that possibilities were being explored to extend Jogindernagar bus stand. He said that Rs. 420.49 lakh had been provided for construction of 3 bridges for village Matru-Bhajrala, Ghatagttala on Batabada-Badehar-Rara-Bakhehar road in district Mandi. He said that work on Samurpul-Kangu road in village Lamlehari would be started soon. He said that MNREGA funds would be utilised for construction of link roads to improve connectivity. He advised the non-official member to motivate local youth to opt for Mukhya Mantri Gram Path Parivahan Yojana and avail tax free transportation facilities besides financial incentives. He said that State Government had taken up the 60:40 labour material component provisions for several developmental projects in the rural areas.
Social Justices & Empowerment Minister Sarveen Chaudhary welcomed the Chief Minister and said that a separate Directorate had been created for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes, which was a landmark decision. She said that interest free loan had been disbursed to 86 beneficiaries through Other Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation to the tune of Rs. 165.8 lakh. She said that 77,817 new Social Security pension cases were sanctioned in past four years. She said that added attention was being paid towards the speedy socio-economic upliftment of SC/OBC/Minorities.
S.K.Dash, Principal Secretary, Social Justice & Empowerment welcomed Chief Minister and other dignitaries.Dr. Abhishek Jain, Director, Social Justice & Empowerment conducted proceedings of the meeting. Mahender Singh, Transport and Urban Development Minister, Rajwant Sandhu, Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, Special Secretaries, Head of Departments, Deputy Commissioners, Senior Officers, non-official members were present in the meeting.
