Taking cognizance of the shortage of medical specialists and gynecologist in Keylong in district Lahaul and Spiti, Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh directed to fulfill the post of gynecologist at the earliest including a medical specialist in Keylong. He was presiding over the first state level meeting of Women Welfare Board organised by department of Social Justice and Environment, here today.He said none of the doctors or para-medical staff would be relieved from the tribal areas unless his/her counterpart joins.It was also directed to assure filling of at-least one post of doctor in each primary health centre in Lahaul and Spiti.The Chief Minister also informed that two more Mahila Thanas (Women Police Stations) would be opened shortly at Kullu and Baddi. He said that the government was trying to open Mahila Police Thanas in every district phase-wise and a women constable had been deployed in every police station opened so far to address grievances of the women.
It was also disclosed that 20 percent reservation was being provided to women in the posts of sub-inspectors in Police department. The Chief Minister also directed to look into the cases of domestic violence against women seriously and if any such case comes to fore, the women victims should be provided justice immediately by law enforcing and other concerned agencies. It was also disclosed in the meeting that the ‘Bhartiya Mahila Bank limited’, (BMB), a public sector bank and a brain child of UPA government was providing loan facility of upto one crore to women entrepreneurs without any bank guarantee. It was also catering to other needs of poor and lone women, as Kitchen loan, loan for purchasing cow, BMB Parvrish loan, loan for opening beauty parlours etc. The Chief Minister assured to help and provide BMB with adequate office space as per their specifications in all the districts of the State and urged the representatives of BMB to open the branches of the bank in rural areas as it had many women centric schemes. He also directed to disseminate the brochures of women welfare schemes and that of the BMB throughout the State.
He said that upto 50 kilometres of journey, 40 percent of seats were reserved for women both in private and HRTC buses. Besides, seats were also reserved for women, physically abled and senior citizens in HRTC buses.Regarding excluding widow and disabled from income certificate for pensions, the Chief Minister said that there was no need of income certificate for pensions to the women with 70 percent disability and for those who were more than 80 years of age. A decision was also taken to take up the grievances of women regarding bank guarantee upto loan of one lakh in the State Level Bankers Committee meeting.The Chief Minister also directed to fill posts of district programme officer in Keylong and Kinnaur and to initiate measure for constructing women hostel in Lahaul and Spiti. He also directed for renovation of women hostel at Parwanoo and assured to fill up the post of chowkidar.
The Chief Minister directed to fill posts of Principal and other staff including teachers in GSSS in Dewath gram Panchayat of Chopal tehsil and to address the sanitation issues of various schools either by transferring funds to schools or the local school management committees for repair and upkeep of toilets. He directed to construct toilets and install water taps in left-out schools, if any, in all government schools separately for boys, girls and the staff. He also directed to examine the case for opening ‘Bal Ashram’ in Jadera in Chamba district and to post a doctor in PHC Jadera.He said that horticulturalists should involve themselves in Bee-keeping as it help in pollination and directed to provide training to women in bee-keeping. The Chief Minister also directed for conducting surprise checks in Anganwadi kendras to see whether the children were being provided adequate and clean food.Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil detailed about the various welfare schemes for child and women being implemented in the state. He said a sum of Rs. 371.32 crore was being spent on various welfare schemes during this fiscal.Chairperson, State Women Commission, Smt. Janeb Chandel, Chairperson, Child Welfare Council, Smt. Rajkumari Soni, senior officers of the State Government were also present on the occasion amongst others.