Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Wednesday presided over a series of meetings of the welfare of various communities and made several announcements.
Presiding over the 16th State level Gaddi Welfare Board meeting, the Chief Minister announced `20 lakh for construction of boundary wall and for furniture in Tribal Bhawan at Dari in Dharamshala, which was recently inaugurated.
He also directed to submit the status of funds spent under local Area Development Authority (lADA) on development of the areas which fall in periphery of hydel projects in the State.
He said the State Government was spending a sum of `2.62 crore for providing training to the youth of the community in Handicraft and Handloom so as to enable them to enhance their skills and adopt the profession for earning their livelihood. He said that a sum of `950 per month was also being given to them as stipend per month.
CM directed for construction of Sheep washing farm at Hadsar and was informed that the case had been forwarded for forest clearance and soon the Sheep dip farm would be constructed. A decision was taken to provide adequate funds for renovation of Sheep Dip farm in Bandla Surad in Palampur and in Utrala.
The government is developing the non-tribal areas where there is more population of Gaddi community, said the Chief Minister. There were 924 such villages which fall in non-tribal areas inhabited by the community. To develop such areas having population of more than 40 percent and extend other benefits to the non-tribal gaddis, a sum of `4 crore is being spent on construction of roads, `75 lakh on drinking water and irrigation schemes, `2.45 crore on agriculture and horticulture, `85 lakh on Animal husbandry and `1.37 crore for construction of community buildings.
Singh directed to give protection to Gaddis when they move with their flock during winters towards the lower areas and vice-versa.
CM directs to solve housing problem of Valmiki community
All those families of Valmiki community, who wish to construct a house whether in rural area or in urban area of the state will be provided land for construction of houses said Singh while presiding over the first meeting of the Valmiki Welfare Board here.
He stressed for planned construction of Valmiki colonies and said that the haphazard construction of colonies would not be allowed. He said that the government would look into sympathetically for settling the Valmiki community where they were already putting up. He directed the officers to solve the housing problem of the community within three months positively.
It was also decided to look into the procedure of granting bonafide certificates to the Valmiki community who were staying in the State since generations.
Plots will be given to left out Kol Dam oustees
Presiding over the first meeting of state level Vishwakarmi Welfare Board, organised by department of Social Justice and Empowerment here, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that plots would be provided to the left-out Kol Dam oustees in re-settlement colony Sunni in Shimla district in near future.