Mankotia says BSP to grant winter capital status to Dharamshala

Dharamshala, Nov 12 (UNI) The BSP today announced its decision to grant winter capital status to Dharamsala in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh and division bench of the High Court, if the party was voted to power in the coming assembly elections.

Addressing mediapersons here, party's state convenor Vijay Singh Mankotia said the granting of winter capital status to the town was a long-pending demand of the people of the lower hill areas of the state.

He said all the administrative affairs of the state government would be run from here for at least four months from November to February on the lines of Jammu and Kashmir.

The party would also permanently station an additional chief secretary (ACS) along with senior officers of other departments here during the rest of the year so as to decentralise powers, he said.

Mr Mankotia said the people of the lower hill areas and the Chamba district had a long pending demand of the setting up of a permanent bench of the High Court at Dharamsala, which would be considered on priority by the BSP after coming to power.

''Justice must be accessible to the people at the nearest place.'' Referring to the problems being faced by the employees of the lower hill areas in the tribal belts of the state, he promised to bring in legislation for evolving a policy on transfers and postings of the government employees, which would aim at posting them near their homes.

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