SC Sub Plan budget enhanced by over 100%: CM

Dharamshala, January 19, 2017: Himachal has allocated Rs.1949.15 crores budget for current financial year, under Scheduled Caste Sub Plan to increased it by more than 100 per cent in the past four years. During 2012-13 Rs.914.64 crore were sanctioned under this head. This was revealed by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh while presiding over the meeting of the Scheduled Caste Welfare Board organized at Dharamshala on Thursday.
The Chief Minister said, “It is the duty of the Government to create equal opportunity for uplifting of each community especially the Scheduled Caste and discrimination on any ground should be stopped and uprooted once for all. Every section of the society should walk hand in hand so that dreams of the Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi come true,”
Shri Virbhadra Singh said that it was a matter of great contentment that the age old caste based discriminations and taboos were being rejected and shackles were being broken by the society in general. It was the constitutional duty of each government to help the society to develop and progress collectively. It was possible only if a society working on equal footing was allowed to flourish by providing equal openings to all sections.
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil said that during the current financial year 1,649 aspirants from the SC community were being helped to make them self-reliant through Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Application and Desktop Application by spending Rs.218 lakhs. A sum of Rs.357 crore was being spent on different social security pensions to provide succor to the rundowns of this community.
Dr. Shandil also briefed about the pre and post matriculation scholarship schemes being run by the state Government He said that educational assistance and loans were being provided to the eligible students of this community. Vocational trainings were also being provided to the youth of this community through H.P. SC and ST Development Commission based at Solan.
Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment Smt. Anuradha Thakur conducted the proceedings of the meeting.
Chief Parliament Secretaries Shri Vinay Kumar and Shri Nand Lal, Chairman, State Finance Commission Shri Kuldeep Kumar, M.L.As Shri Kishori Lal, Shri Yadvinder Goma and Shri Mohan Lal Brakta, ACS Shri Tarun Shridhar, Dr. ShriKant Baldi and Shri R.D. Dhiman were among the prominent persons present on the occasion.