12876 applications for housing for SC, ST, OBC pending in HP

As many as 12,876 applications for housing under a scheme for Scheduled Caste (SC), Schedule Tribe (ST) and OBC communities have been pending in Himachal Pradesh, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dhani Ram Shandil said in the assembly today.
Replying to a question of BJP MLA Govind Singh Thakur, the minister said the department clears 60 per cent of pending applications before sanctioning fresh cases every year.
Besides catering to the weaker sections, victims of fire and other natural calamities are also provided housing under the scheme, he said.
He said that the pending cases would be cleared soon.
Replying to a question of Ravinder Goma (Congress) during the Zero Hour, Ayurveda Minister Karan Singh said the department would fill up 187 vacant posts of pharmacists soon.

He also assured that the government would approve setting up of new blocks of ayurveda centres where the process of land allotment has been completed.

Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur told the House that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College would start functioning soon and 20 acres of land of the Animal Husbandry department had been transferred to the college.
The government had also renovated the Palace of Chamba to start classes in the college and posts of 41 doctors including the Principal have been filled.
Thakur was responding to the charge of BJP members B K Chauhan and Hans Raj that state was not giving priority to make the medical college functional.