Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said the State Government was committed to provide equal opportunities to all the communities so that they could progress and also contribute in overall development of the State. He said State Government had taken various decisions aimed at the welfare and development of all communities alike. He was presiding over the meeting of State Schedule Caste Welfare Board, here today.He said that upliftment of underprivileged and weaker section of the society was the top priority of the State Government.As of today, as many as 56 castes were included in list of Schedule castes and reservation was being provided to them in government jobs. He said Government was providing social security pension to 3,39,921 persons of different categories under various pension schemes.Virbhadra Singh also suggested formulating some guidelines or to find out a solution to restrict those who sell their ancestral land for pecuniary profits and later become landless and thereafter apply for land to the government.
While discussing an agenda submitted by one of the member on ‘pick and choose’ of BPL families and ignoring the eligible in Gram Sabha meetings and ‘in-camera’ proceedings after the Gram Sabha meeting, the Chief Minister said that any anomalies by any person in proceedings of Gram Sabhas should be reported immediately so that appropriate action could be taken to provide justice to the eligible BPL or IRDP families.The Chief Minister directed for construction of cremation ground in village Shodinaali Koha, in Gram Panchayat Sillagharat in Chamba district soon and also for releasing a sum of rupees two lakh each for renovation of temples of Vishnu in Harijan basti of Diswani gram panchayat and in Harijan inhabited area of Tikri Gram Panchayat in Chirgaon respectively. He also directed to provide a sum of rupees three lakhs for renovation of Vishnu temple in harijan colony of Kharshali Gram Panchayat in Chirgaon in district Shimla.He exhorted all the non- official members of the Board to make aware the community about various welfare schemes being implemented by the State government for them so that they could reap the benefits of the welfare schemes.
Later, the Chief Minister also presided over the 10th meeting of Kabir Panthi Welfare Board and said that the with a view to update professional education amongst the students of the communities, various recognized computer courses were being run in the State. Under the scheme, Rs. 1200 were being provided as monthly training fee and Rs. 1000 scholarship during the training period to SC BPL candidates. He said that 1584 candidates were getting benefits under Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Application, Diploma in Computer Application Desk Top Publication besides Certificate Course in Computerised Accountancy during this fiscal year for which a provision of Rs. 284.38 lakh had been made.Shri Virbhadra Singh said that Rs. 1220.14 crore were being spent on Scheduled Castes Sub Plan. Besides, Rs. 392 crore were also being spent on various schemes and programmes for the upliftment of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women, children and aged persons during this financial year. He said that State Government would provide all possible assistance to promote and protect traditional handloom avocation in the State.
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil, said besides, providing subsidy on construction of houses the government was also providing advance computer application courses, hostel facilities in educational and professional courses, opportunities of self employment through SC/ST development Board, loan for pursuing higher education or training programmes etc.He also detailed about other welfare schemes being implemented by the government for the welfare of the community and the youth. Secretary, Social, Justice and Empowerment Smt. Anuradha Thakur conducted the proceedings of the meeting.Excise and Taxation Minister, Shri Prakash Chaudhary, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries, Shri Nand Lal and Shri Mansa Ram, Chief Secretary, Shri P. Mitra, Additional Chief Secretaries, and senior officers of the State government were present amongst the members and representatives of SC Welfare Board.