New Criteria and Guidelines to be Established for Eligible Families

Shimla, December 30: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while chairing a review meeting of the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department today, announced that the process for revising the list of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families will begin in April 2025. The revision aims to ensure that only eligible families are included in the BPL list.

The Chief Minister emphasized the importance of developing new criteria for BPL inclusion and instructed the department to finalize these guidelines by January 5, 2025. Following this, the new criteria will be presented for Cabinet approval. In order to ensure transparency, the revised guidelines will be shared with the public during the Gram Sabha meetings scheduled for January 2025.

To facilitate a fair process, a two-member committee, consisting of a Sub-Divisional Magistrate and a Block Development Officer, will be set up at the sub-division level to verify the BPL lists recommended by the Gram Sabha. This measure is intended to maintain transparency and ensure the identification of genuinely eligible families.

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Additionally, the Chief Minister revealed that the state government is considering revising the annual income criteria for BPL family selection. He also announced that any objections related to the final list could be submitted to the concerned Deputy Commissioner and Divisional Commissioner, who will have the authority to review and resolve these complaints.

In another significant move, the government plans to launch a website to display and facilitate the home delivery of products from women’s self-help groups, aimed at strengthening the women’s economy in the state.

The meeting was attended by Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh, Secretary Rajesh Sharma, Director Raghav Sharma, and other senior officials.

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