SHIMLA, 09.01.26-Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today chaired a high-level review meeting of the Panchayati Raj Department and stated that the State Government would provide pucca houses to all eligible poor families in Himachal Pradesh who are still living in kutcha houses. He emphasized that safe housing is not only a basic necessity but also a social right of every citizen, and the government was taking concrete steps to ensure this right.
The Chief Minister informed that in the first phase of a survey conducted to identify the extremely poor families as many as 27,715 families have been included. These are those families who have been part of the Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) for the past 20 years but have not yet received a pucca house. In the first phase, the income limit was fixed at Rs. 50,000 per annum and families already owning a pucca house were excluded.
He further stated that in the second phase of the survey, families who already own a pucca house were also included. As a result, an additional 35,355 families were added to the extremely poor category. With this, the total number of identified extremely poor families has increased to 63,070.
The Chief Minister said that in the third phase, orphaned children, persons with disabilities and widows will also be included, which would further increase the number of beneficiaries. The survey will also be conducted in the fourth and fifth phases to ensure that the maximum number of eligible families are covered. He added that at every stage of the selection process, the criteria was being relaxed to make it more inclusive, reiterating that no eligible family will be left out of the IRDP.
Sh. Sukhu also said that the State Government would strengthen the Panchayati Raj Department by filling vacant posts on a priority basis. Posts of Junior Engineers will also be filled in panchayats to improve implementation and monitoring of development works.
He stated that the present State Government accords the highest priority to social empowerment. Several welfare schemes are being implemented effectively with the objective of bringing the deprived, neglected and weaker sections of society into the mainstream.
The Chief Minister emphasized that the government’s goal was not limited to the construction of houses alone, but to ensure a dignified standard of living for poor families. Special attention is being given to basic amenities, sanitation, drinking water and livelihood opportunities.
He directed the officers to regularly review the progress of various schemes and made it clear that negligence or delays at any level will 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 the queue is the true spirit of “systemic transformation”.
Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh, Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister (Innovation, Digital Technologies 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 on the occasion.