Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday virtually inaugurated the new office of the Himachal Pradesh State Commission for Backward Classes in Dharamsala, describing it as another step towards decentralising government institutions and improving public access to services.
The Commission’s office has been shifted from Shimla to Dharamsala to facilitate easier access for the large Other Backward Classes (OBC) population of Kangra and adjoining districts.
Addressing the inaugural function virtually from the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat in Shimla, the CM said the relocation would spare people the inconvenience of travelling to the state capital and ensure quicker and more accessible services.
Highlighting the government’s decentralisation policy, Sukhu said Kangra had been declared the tourism capital of Himachal and several government offices were being shifted to the district. He added that more offices would be relocated to Kangra in the coming years.
The CM also directed the Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, to make necessary arrangements for opening an office of the Himachal Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) in Dharamsala at the earliest.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to the welfare of backward and tribal communities, Sukhu said efforts were underway to secure OBC status for the Dodra Kwar area in Shimla district and Scheduled Tribe status for the Bara Bhangal area in Kangra district.
Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh State Commission for Backward Classes Prabhat Chaudhary welcomed the CM and thanked the state government for shifting the Commission’s office to Dharamsala.
He said the move would significantly benefit the OBC population of Kangra and neighbouring districts by making the Commission’s services more accessible.
State Congress Committee president Vinay Kumar, MLAs Suresh Kumar, Vinod Sultanpuri and Sudarshan Bablu, along with former MLA Satpal Raizada, attended the programme in Shimla with the CM. Commission members Rakesh Chaudhary, Advocate Kashmir Singh Bharati and Rajiv Rana, along with Kangra DC Hemraj Bairwa, participated in the event from Dharamsala