Shimla (Himachal Pradesh): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has said that the state government is committed to providing employment to the youth of the state and accused the BJP of spreading misleading information about the initiatives and decisions of the Congress government.
The Chief Minister, who interacted with the media here, said that the information in social media about the abolition of some posts in various departments is baseless and a part of false propaganda.
He said that there are many such posts in various departments of the government which are not functional for many years. The designation of those posts is being changed on the basis of current requirements. At present, the posts of JOA (IT) are being created and filled in place of Clerk Typist. These posts are not being abolished and their designation is being changed after completing various formalities. In this regard, a letter has also been issued by the Finance Department to various departments on October 23, 2024.
He said that new posts are being created in place of those posts which have been lying vacant for many years in various departments and which have no relevance.
The departments are keeping these posts on their budget books, and on their basis, assess the budget-related needs and send proposals to the government.
He said that the Finance Department reviews such posts and sends proposals to create posts as per the current requirement.
Sending accounts of posts which are not currently required “such as Gestetner Operator etc” creates financial confusion. To end this situation and ensure financial discipline, the Finance Department shares various information with other departments.
Sukhu said that the state government has created 2,511 posts in the various departments and 16,592 posts are being filled.
The process of filling many posts including a total of 1,91,03 posts is underway.
He said that 268 posts have been created in the Education Department, 1623 in the Health and Family Welfare Department, 442 in the Home Department, 85 in the Jal Shakti Department, 64 in the Public Works Department and 29 in the Revenue Department.
The Chief Minister said that hundreds of posts are being. These include 5,861 posts in the Education Department, 1,056 in the Health Department, 1,482 posts in the Home Department, 2,266 posts in the Forest Department, 4,701 posts in the Jal Shakti Department, 299 posts in the Public Works Department and 927 posts in the Revenue Department.
The Chief Minister said that changing the designation and creating new posts is a continuous departmental process which the departments complete from time to time. The present government has continuously made recruitments and created new posts during its 22-month tenure. During this period, pending examination results of many post codes were declared and appointments were provided to the youth. The government is working with commitment to provide employment to the youth.
He said that the state government is going to create many new posts on the basis of future needs. The government has taken innovative steps in this direction by identifying employment possibilities in many new areas. He said that new courses have been started in educational institutions to ensure employment to the youth in these areas also. Many posts will be created in various fields including AI, Data Science, Internet of Things.
He reiterated commitment to provide employment to the youth and said that the role of youth was important in the development of the state and the government will always ensure the highest priority for the welfare of their interests.
The Chief Minister, who also interacted with the media persons informally, slammed the BJP over its remarks and said it is attempting “to distort the narrative surrounding the government’s work”, particularly regarding employment and budget allocations.
“We are in the process of allocating funds and assessing which posts are necessary based on current demands,” he explained.
He said the state government is also focused on rural development and believes in constructive dialogue with citizens. “We aim to strengthen the rural economy and improve living standards. BJP is number one in misleading propaganda. It is crucial for the public and media to have accurate information to foster a well-informed society,” he said.
Sukhu emphasized that the government is committed to transparency and employment, noting the recruitment of over 19,000 posts in various sectors since he took office.
Referring to environmental concerns, Sukhu reiterated the state’s commitment to preserving its forests and called for a “green bonus” from the central government, arguing that states that conserve their natural resources should be financially incentivized.
He alleged that MPs from the state, who are from the BJP, were not raising the issues concerning the state.
“In Himachal Pradesh, we as a state have banned the cutting of trees. We are called the lungs of North India. If we allow the cutting of trees like other states, then we will earn Rs 1 lakh crore in two years. We want to protect our forests but our four MPs do not raise their voice in the House. They do not raise their demands at all. They should demand green bonus for the state.”
He also said that the state government is starting ‘Sarkaar Janta Ke Dwar’ programme where ministers will go to the villages.
He said it will be different from BJP government’s Jan Manch Programme.
“I will go to the people, stay among them and understand their problems and issues . I am going to the remote areas. We will make budgetary provisions to strengthen the rural economy. A key objective of our government to understand and strengthen the rural economy,” he said.
