Himachal govt committed towards welfare of Gaddi community, says Jai Ram Thakur

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday informed that he is committed for the welfare of the Gaddi community and ensured initiating of new schemes for making sheep rearing more profitable avocation.

Addressing the Sheep Breeders Conference orgsed by Himachal Pradesh Wool Federation at Banuri in Palampur area of Kangra district, the Chief Minister said that it was in the year 2000, during the tenure of the BJP government at the Centre as well as in the State, when the Gaddi community was accorded the 'tribal status.'

He also inaugurated Tribal Community and Training Centre building constructed with an amount of Rs 1 crore, the government said in a statement.

He said that the state government has directed deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to ensure strict action against the offenders involved in the theft of sheep and goats of the Gaddi people. Gaddi would be provided Rams of the good breed so as to get high-quality wool, he said.

The Chief Minister said that the present State Government during the last three years has initiated several welfare schemes for the upliftment of the poor and downtrodden. "The Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojna has been launched to provide free gas connections to the households devoid of the same. As many as 2.90 lakh free gas connections under this scheme have been provided, thereby making Himachal Pradesh a smoke free state of the country," he added.

( With inputs from ANI )