Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday said that the state government would provide permanent pucca houses to all eligible poor families in Himachal Pradesh who are still living in kutcha houses. Presiding over a high-level review meeting of the Panchayati Raj Department, he said that safe housing is not only a basic necessity but also a social right of every citizen, and the government is taking effective measures to ensure this.
The Chief Minister said that the government’s objective is not limited to the construction of houses alone, but also to ensure a dignified standard of living for poor families. He added that special focus is being laid on the provision of basic amenities such as sanitation, drinking water and livelihood opportunities to improve overall living conditions.
Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that to strengthen the Panchayati Raj Department, vacant posts would be filled on a priority basis. He also announced that posts of Junior Engineers would be filled in panchayats to improve implementation and monitoring of development works.
Emphasising that social empowerment remains a top priority of the present state government, the Chief Minister said that several welfare schemes are being implemented effectively to bring the deprived, neglected and weaker sections of society into the mainstream.
The Chief Minister directed officers to conduct regular reviews of the progress of various schemes and made it clear that negligence or delays at any level would not be tolerated. Reiterating the government’s commitment to public welfare, he said that ensuring the benefits of development reach the last person standing in society is the true spirit of systemic change.
Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh, Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister (Innovation, Digital Technology and Governance) Gokul Butail, Secretary to the Chief Minister Rakesh Kanwar, Secretary Panchayati Raj C. Palrasu, Director Panchayati Raj Raghav Sharma and other senior officers were present at the meeting.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
