The News Radar | Mahindra Patial
Bharmour, November 6: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday evening presided over the ‘Sarkar Gaon Ke Dwar’ programme at Mehla village in Mehla Gram Panchayat of the Bharmour Assembly constituency in Chamba district.
During his overnight stay in the remote village, the Chief Minister interacted with local residents, Mahila Mandals and Yuvak Mandals, listened to their grievances and directed officials to ensure the speedy resolution of their problems.
Dressed in traditional attire, local residents welcomed the Chief Minister warmly with traditional Pahari folk music. It was a historic and memorable occasion for the villagers, as Sukhu became the first Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh to undertake an overnight stay in this remote area.
The Chief Minister also experienced the local culture and enjoyed traditional Himachali delicacies served by the villagers.
Interacting with residents, Sukhu said the purpose of staying overnight in remote villages was to understand the challenges faced by local communities and ensure that their concerns were addressed effectively.
He described ‘Sarkar Gaon Ke Dwar’ as an ambitious initiative of the state government, under which resolving public grievances has been accorded the highest priority. He said the government was committed to ensuring that the benefits of development reached the last person in society, with special attention being given to people living in remote and inaccessible areas.
He added that directly interacting with villagers and spending nights in their homes, instead of limiting visits to government rest houses, was an innovative initiative in the history of the state.
172 Families Identified Under New Welfare Scheme
Announcing an important welfare initiative, the Chief Minister said that 172 families in Mehla Gram Panchayat had been identified under the proposed ‘Mukhyamantri Ka Apna Parivar Sukhi Parivar Yojana’, which will be launched across the state next month.
Under the scheme, eligible women in the age group of 21 to 59 years will receive financial assistance of Rs. 1,500 per month. He clarified that if a family has three eligible women, all three will be entitled to receive the benefit.
CBSE School to Start in Mehla Next Academic Session
The Chief Minister also announced that a CBSE-affiliated school would be started in Mehla from the next academic session, providing improved educational opportunities to children in the remote region.
Higher Procurement Prices for Farmers and Milk Producers
Highlighting the government’s initiatives to strengthen farmers’ incomes, Sukhu said the state government had introduced several measures to promote agriculture and natural farming.
He recalled that 107 quintals of naturally cultivated barley produced in the Pangi Valley of Chamba district were procured last year at Rs. 70 per kilogram. The procurement price has now been increased to Rs. 80 per kilogram.
He further stated that the procurement price of cow milk had been increased from Rs. 31 to Rs. 61 per kilogram, while the price of buffalo milk had been raised from Rs. 46 to Rs. 71 per kilogram.
Additionally, the incentive amount for milk producers has been increased from Rs. 3 to Rs. 6 per litre to encourage dairy farming.
The Chief Minister also announced that the state government was preparing a new scheme for the Gaddi community to help them secure better prices for meat.
Zero-Tolerance Policy Against Corruption
Sukhu reiterated that the state government was following a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, which, he said, had helped generate additional revenue for the state exchequer.
Referring to irregularities and paper leak cases, he said the Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission had to be disbanded after serious malpractices came to light. These incidents had deprived deserving and meritorious candidates of fair opportunities in competitive examinations.
He said cases had been registered against officials and employees involved in compromising the future of young aspirants, and those accused were still in jail.
The Chief Minister added that the recruitment process had now been made fully transparent through computerisation, ensuring greater accountability and fairness.
Through the ‘Sarkar Gaon Ke Dwar’ initiative, the state government aims to strengthen direct communication with rural communities and ensure that administrative services and development benefits reach even the most remote parts of Himachal Pradesh.
