While presiding over the 21st Meeting of Gujjar Kalyan Board at Dharamshala today, the Chief Minster Jai Ram Thakur said that the State Government was committed for welfare and development of the Gujjar community and has started several schemes for their welfare. Chief Minister said that being mainly associated with animal husbandry and milk production business, the Animal Husbandry Department must ensure providing latest scientific technology to Gujjar community so that the economy could be strengthened. He directed the officers to ensure providing better breed of cattle to the community so that they could get better income from their livestock.
Jai Ram Thakur also urged the members of the Gujjar community to pay special attention to the education of their children. He said that the State Government was committed to provide all possible help to the community in this direction. He also directed the officers to take immediate steps in this direction so that the children of this community were not deprived of modern education. He said that it was necessary to provide education to the children of this community so that they could join the mainstream of the society. Chief Minister said that the State Government has provided the tribal status to the Gujjar community in 2003, when Atal Behari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister of the country.
He said that this was done to ensure that the Gujjar community also gets adequate opportunity for development and progress. He said that it was due to the efforts of the State Government, that the condition of the tribal people was far more better than all other states. Minister of IT, Technical Education and Tribal Development Dr Ram Lal Markanda while welcoming the Chief Minister and other dignitaries present on the occasion. He also thanked the Chief Minister for being considerate towards the welfare of the tribal people. Principal Secretary Tribal Development Onkar Sharma thanked the Chief Minister, Minister and non-official members for giving their valuable suggestions on the occasion. Special Secretary Social Justice and Empowerment C.P. Verma conducted the proceedings of the meeting. Chief Secretary Ram Subhag Singh, Additional Chief Secretaries, Administrative Secretaries, and other officers attended the meeting.