HP tribal areas gets video-conferencing facility

Shimla, Aug 18 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said his government would utilise the modern IT technology of video conferencing to monitor the development activities in the tribal areas of the mountainous state.

While addressing the officers at Kaza in district Lahul-Spiti, he said state government had connected all the district headquarters with video-conferencing facilities and direct contact was feasible under the modern technology.

Mr Singh said government would utilise the same facility for monitoring the activities in the tribal areas, which could prove vital in their development as the working season was very limited and the entire allotted targets had to be achieved within that period.

The Chief Minister said his government was committed towards socio-economic uplift of the tribal people and was regularly monitoring the pace of development for which record funds were being made available to various executing departments.

Spiti had comparatively difficult geo-physical condition and development was the most important for its people and area, he said.

Reviewing the distribution of the essential commodities under PDS, Chief Minister directed that six months ration needed to be provided to the identified groups and ration card holders, keeping in view the winter season requirements of the tribal people.

He said no shopkeeper would be allowed to operate the fair price shops simultaneously.

Sale of controlled ration would not be permitted by general merchants and misuse of ration meant for targetted groups would not be allowed, he added.

Mr Singh donated Rs 10 lakh for creation of amenities to the ITBP jawans in the area.

UNI