Gujjar had been provided tribal status keeping in view their avocation of rearing animals

Bijender Sharma
Dharmshala--Himachal Government is making concerted efforts for permanent settlement by identifying suitable land and providing education facilities to the nomadic tribals of Gujjar Community to join the mainstream. This was stated by Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister in 17th meeting of Himachal Pradesh Gujjar Kalyan Board, held at Dharamshala, under his Chairmanship, today.

Chief Minister said that Gujjar had been provided tribal status keeping in view their avocation of rearing animals while moving from one place to other round the year. He said that Deputy Commissioners of the community concentrated districts had been directed to identify suitable land for permanent settlement of the community at one place so that they could reap benefits of development and social welfare regularly as also help their wards to study in the local educational institutions which was bound to widen the mental horizon of the members of the community. He said that besides free education to the girl child of all communities, scholarships were available to the students of the community to motivate them pursue their academics towards prosperity. He said that 15 hostels had been constructed at a cost of Rs. 22.50 crore at education concentrated non-tribal towns for the benefit of the tribal students. He said that additionally the State had decided to open Eklavya Residential School in Kangra and Chamba for the benefit of the students and land for same had been identified in Kangra where process would be completed on priority so that the school campus was developed on time to admit students of the community.

Prof. Dhumal advised the members of the community to take benefits of various schemes envisioned by the Government of India and State Government and get minor works done at gram panchayat level where MNREGA
could be taken benefit of by the villagers. He said that the objective of the State Level Board Meeting had been to invite suggestions from the non-official members to formulate policy and programme for the betterment and socio-economic upliftment of the community. He said that any workable suggestion for the upliftment of the community would be welcomed to be implemented on completion of codal formalities. He said that the State Government would be taking effective steps to ensure that no nomadic tribe was allowed to enter the identified grazing areas being used by the local community.

Shri Mureed Hussain, Chairman, Himachal Pradesh Wakf Board, thanked Chief Minister for protecting the interests of the community and constituting a separate Welfare Board for the Community. He detailed various initiatives taken by the State for the speedy upliftment of the community which was helping them immensely.

Shri Bhim Sen, Principal Secretary, Tribal Development, welcomed the Chief Minister and thanked him for presiding over the Meeting. He said that the agenda received from the non-official members had been forwarded to the concerned department for responding over the same in the meeting. He conducted proceedings of the meeting and apprised Board of the status of the querries raised by the members.

Smt. Rajwant Sandhu, Chief Secretary, Smt. Sarojini G.Thakur, Additional Chief Secretary, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, Heads of various departments, Deputy Commissioners and other senior officers of various departments attended the meeting in addition to the non-official members.