By IANS,
Solan (Himachal Pradesh): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal Saturday said the state would achieve the total sanitation programme by March 31 this year.
“We will achieve Sampooran Swachhta Abhiyan (total sanitation programme) by March 31 this year,” he said.
Addressing the presidents and vice-presidents of the panchayats of Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur districts after administering the oath of office to the newly-elected representatives of panchayati raj institutions, Dhumal asked them to help in making the state ‘Nirmal Himachal’.
Dhumal underlined the need to educate the people about the drastic impact of plastic in environment degradation. He said the government was planning to empower panchayati raj institutions to penalise offenders using plastic.
The chief minister said 108 gram panchayats were elected unanimously and were entitled to get a special development grant of Rs.10 lakh each.
He said the PRIs elections saw over 57 percent of women got elected at various posts.
The government in 2008 raised reservation of seats for women in all rural and urban civic bodies from 33 percent to 50 percent and it was for the first time that the elections to the panchayati posts were held under the enhanced quota.
The polling for 3,195 panchayats was held Dec 28 and Dec 30, 2010 and Jan 1, 2011.