State Government committed towards welfare of Gaddi community: Himachal CM

Dharamsala, December 12, 2021: Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over the 18th Meeting of Himachal Pradesh Gaddi Kalyan Board at Dharamsala today said that the State 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.  He said that the State Police have 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 this community.
Jai Ram Thakur said, “It was 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.”
The Chief Minister said that compensation should be provided without delay to the Gaddis on loss of their sheep or goats due to natural disaster or pandemic. He directed the concerned officers to ensure timely vaccination of the sheep and goats of Gaddis to protect their flock from various serious diseases. He also directed the concerned officers to separately examine the issues raised in the meeting regarding opening and up gradation of health and educational institutions in the tribal and hard areas. He directed the concerned department to ensure that no one transfers the grazing permit issued to them to another person as this would be viewed seriously.
Jai Ram Thakur 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. He said that the State Government would consider including adequate representation of tribal people in Scheduled Castes Scheduled Tribe Commission
He said that the State Government has succeeded in receiving an amount of Rs 46 crore from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, 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 Center during the  previous government during its five-year tenure.  Apart from this, funds are also being made available from the state plans by the schemes of various departments, he added. 
Minister of IT, Technical Education and Tribal Development Dr Ram Lal Markanda, MLAs Vikram Jaryal and Jiya Lal Kapoor and all the non-official members also gave their valuable suggestions in the meeting.
Chairman Woolfed Trilok Kapoor requested the Chief Minister to make a separate provision of three percent in the budget to be made for development of tribal people living in non-tribal areas.
Principal Secretary Tribal Development Onkar Sharma, Special Secretary Tribal Development C.P. Verma ,MLA Dharamshala Vishal Nehria, Political Advisor to the Chief Minister Trilok Jamwal, Chief Secretary Ram Subhag Singh, Additional Chief Secretaries, Administrative Secretaries, and other officers attended the meeting.