Mankoita advises HP government to check corruption

Shimla, Mar 1 (UNI) Former tourism minister and Congress MLA from Shahpur, Vijai Singh Mankotia today called upon the government to check widespread corruption in the state.

Participating in the motion of thanks on the Governor's address in the House, he said it was unfortunate that the entire discussion in the House was limited to talks about different mafias active in the state.

Mr Mankoita said efforts should be made to root out the cause of these mafias in the state, adding that he had a specific case of a government officer indulging in corruption of which he would give proof to the Chief Minister later.

''I will not name the officer here, because he is not present in the House,'' he said, urging the Chief Minister to look into the matter.

The former minister said he had been talking of regional disparity, in the case of Kangra district, not discrimination.

The state government should think of bringing regional parity on various aspects, be it the lower per capita income in lower areas or industrial development.

Mr Mankoita said it was a matter of concern that out of 1,100 employees in the state secretariat in Shimla, only two hundred are from lower areas.

''And it is possible that the state secretariat may not have a single employee from the lower areas in the next four-five years.

The government must think about bringing balance in different institutions.'' MORE UNI AS HS SBJ PM2156