Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday said that the Police Department has been directed to take immediate steps to check theft of sheep and goats of the Gaddi community by taking strict action against the criminals.
While presiding over the meeting of Himachal Pradesh Gaddi Kalyan Board at Dharamshala, the Chief Minister said that the State Police has issued Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on this subject, according to which the responsibility of the police administration has been fixed so as to ensure safety of life and property of the community.
Thakur said that it is the endeavor of the State Government that wherever the Gaddi community lives, they should participate in the Gaddi Welfare Board and with this spirit, the State Government has nominated members of the Gaddi community from every corner of the State. “I myself belong to a rural environment and understand the problems of sheep farmers very well and have had a special attachment and relationship with the Gaddi community and have received the same love and respect from this community as well”, he said.
The Chief Minister directed that compensation should be provided without delay to the Gaddis on loss of their sheep or goats due to natural disaster or pandemic. He also directed the concerned officers to ensure timely vaccination of the sheep and goats of Gaddis to protect their flock from various serious diseases.
He further asked the concerned officers to separately examine the issues raised in the meeting regarding opening and upgradation of health and educational institutions in the tribal and hard areas. The concerned department should ensure that no one transfer the grazing permit issued to them to other person as this would be viewed seriously, he added.
Thakur also said that it was due to the benevolence of late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that Gaddi community was given this special tribal status in the year 2003.
The State Government would consider including adequate representation of tribal people in Scheduled Castes Scheduled Tribe Commission so that participation of the Scheduled Tribes must be ensured.
Steps would be taken to make adequate provision of budget for tribal people living in non-tribal areas, he said.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government has succeeded in receiving an amount of Rs 46 crore from the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs for the development of tribal people living in non-tribal areas, during the last three years, whereas only Rs 33 crore were sanctioned from the Centre during the previous government during its five-year tenure.