Issue of funds for Zila Parishad, Panchayat Samitis raised

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said the state has raised the issue of releasing funds to Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samitis with the Centre several times.
The chief minister was speaking after inaugurating a newly-constructed Zilla Parishad Bhawan at Keylong.
"The three-tier Panchayati Raj system was the backbone of the democratic set up and several times the state government has raised the issue with centre for releasing funds to Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samitis also," he said.
Singh claimed that as per the recommendations of the NITI Ayog, the funds for development were being released to the Panchayats and not to Zilla Parishads and the Panchayat Samitis.

These are being provided funds by the state government from its own resources, he said.
Singh also inspected the HRTC bus stand and assured creating basic facilities like waiting room and staff quarters for the employees.

The chief minister also announced to open a Government Degree College at Kaza and community centre at Kibber, and build the Bailey bridge and channelise the Shweta Nallah at Losar.
At a public gathering at Kaza, he said a Desert Development Programme was launched in 1977-78 to take up the forestation drive and increase the green cover.
Singh said that the forest department would be now given the task of planting more trees and the government would make a separate budgetary provision for the same.

"A 'Green Spiti' mission would be started," he said, adding that he wants to see Spiti adorned in green cover in times to come.
Issuing directions he said that within one year all the electricity towers should be installed so that the power can be transmitted from Pooh.
The chief minister said that 750 labourers in the Spiti valley had been employed full time for 12 months.