Govt to bring rationalisation policy to fill vacant posts: HP CM

Shimla, Mar 18 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh government would bring a rationalisation policy to fill vacant posts, particularly in tribal and remote areas, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu told the state Assembly during the question hour on Tuesday.

A policy would be framed considering the population and geographical conditions so that no post would remain vacant in any government department, corporation or board, said Sukhu, who interrupted Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi's response to a question.

However, Negi said staff shortage in tribal and remote areas was a matter of concern and urged the chief minister to revive the 'Tribal Sub-Cadre'.

This sub-cadre refers to a specific group of government employees who are assigned to work in tribal areas.

He said that, currently, officiating officers are rendering services in the Bharmour tribal constituency, and efforts are being made to fill the posts with regular employees.

Replying to a question by Congress' Kuldeep Singh Rathore, the revenue minister said that the government had launched a campaign against the import of apple rootstocks without quarantine. As many as 25 vehicles were seized, and over 2.95 lakh plants were destroyed in 2023-24, he highlighted.

Similarly, in 2024-25, four vehicles were caught, and 68,000 plants imported without quarantine were destroyed.

The plants and rootstocks imported without quarantine are destroyed as the authorities do not want pests and diseases to infect the orchards in the state.

He also told the Assembly that apple rootstocks were not being prepared at Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Nauni, and the government would hold a review meeting with the university for bulk production of rootstocks.

However, he mentioned that over 50,000 rootstocks are being prepared at Bajaura in Kullu district after an agreement with an Italian company.

He demanded that research be conducted to prepare the rootstocks in the state, considering the climate and soil conditions.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that the central government had sanctioned Rs 925 crore under the Jal Jeevan mission last year, but the state government received only Rs 137 crore.

He also said that 80 per cent of the work on the Sandhol water supply scheme in the Sarkaghat constituency has been completed, and the work would be finished if the National Highways Authority of India settles the pending issues with local people.

He added that the work on Dharampur-Gopalpur irrigation was also 80 per cent over, and the project would finish by March 2026.

Additionally, the CM, who holds the finance portfolio, stated that GST collections were Rs 5,259.20 crore in the financial year 2022-23, Rs 5,339.89 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 5,044.62 crore in 2024-25 up to February 20, 2025. PTI BPL -- AMJ AMJ

Source: PTI