Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday said the State Police department has been directed to take immediate steps to check theft of sheep and goats of the Gaddi community by taking strict action against the criminals.

After the 18th meeting of HP Gaddi Kalyan Board at Dharamshala, he said the state police has issued Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on this subject, according to which the responsibility of the police administration has been fixed so as to ensure safety of life and property of the community.

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“It is the endeavour of the state government that wherever the Gaddi community lives, they should participate in the Gaddi Welfare Board and with this spirit, the government has nominated members of the Gaddi community from every corner of the state.

I myself belong to a rural environment and understand the problems of sheep farmers very well and have had a special attachment and relationship with the Gaddi community and have received the same love and respect from this community as well,” the CM said.

He stated that compensation should be provided without delay to the Gaddis on the loss of their sheep or goats due to natural disasters or pandemics.

He directed the concerned officers to ensure timely vaccination of the sheep and goats of Gaddis to protect their flock from various serious diseases.

He also directed the concerned officers to separately examine the issues raised in the meeting regarding the opening and up-gradation of health and educational institutions in the tribal and hard areas.

He further instructed the concerned department to ensure that no one transfers the grazing permit issued to them to another person as this would be viewed seriously.

Thakur said it was due to the benevolence of late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that the Gaddi community was given this special tribal status in the year 2003. All the Gaddi communities of the state had got tribal status as earlier, this tribal status was not available to Gaddi community living in the merged areas of Punjab in the state after the year 1966.

The state government would consider including adequate representation of tribal people in the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribe  Commission so that participation of the Scheduled Tribes must be ensured.

Besides, steps would be taken to make adequate provision of the budget for tribal people living in non-tribal areas.

He further stated that the state government has succeeded in receiving an amount of Rs 46 crore from the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs for the development of tribal people living in non-tribal areas, during the last three years, whereas only Rs 33 crore were sanctioned from the Centre during the previous government during its five-year tenure.

Apart from this, funds are also being made available from the state plans by the schemes of various departments, he added.

The CM said that an amount of Rs 2.40 crore has been provided to Himachal Pradesh Handicrafts and Handloom Corporation during the last three years.

He directed the departments to keep in mind the development and welfare of the Gaddi community while making their plans and the Animal Husbandry department to endeavour to improve the income of the community by providing the latest scientific technology to them.