Marriage, birth & death certificates to be available online soon: Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhu
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that marriage, birth and death certificates issued by gram panchayats in the state would soon be available online.
The Chief Minister, while presiding over a meeting of the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, reiterated the state government’s commitment to deliver essential services to citizens on their doorsteps. He added that under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 344.31 lakh labour days had been achieved during 2023-24, surpassing the initial target of 275 lakh labour days. For 2024-25, a target of 300 lakh labour days had been set and of this, 214.51 lakh labour days had already been achieved.
Sukhu highlighted the state’s progress in making villages open defecation free (ODF)-plus models. “In 2024-25, a total of 17,582 villages will be transformed into ODF-plus models and 9,203 villages have already achieved this status. An additional 2,347 villages have been verified as ODF plus,” he added.
He said that 32 plastic waste management units had been constructed in various development blocks and 26 of these were operational. These units would eventually be established in all development blocks, he added.
Sukhu focused on efforts being made under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) for women empowerment. “The state has formed 43,161 self-help groups (SHGs) till date, providing them with financial assistance to boost their economic activities. The success of innovative initiatives under the State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM), including the opening of 93 ‘Himera’ shops that have collectively sold products worth Rs 1.4 crore during 2023-24. Additionally, 80 weekly markets organised by the SRLM facilitated Rs 1.2 crore sales in the same period,” he added.
The Chief Minister announced a plan to create an online platform for SHGs to market their products, further enhancing their reach and sustainability. He said that the products prepared by ‘Himera’ were being developed as premium brands for availability in reputed institutions. “These products will soon be displayed in various exhibitions to be organised in New Delhi and Chandigarh,” he added.
Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh reaffirmed the state government’s approach towards empowering gram panchayats and the development of rural areas. He said that coordinated efforts by various stakeholders were critical for the successful implementation of department schemes.
