Pangi residents demand urgent filling of vacant government posts

The residents of Pangi Tribal Sub-Division in Chamba district have urged the state government to take immediate action to fill nearly 200 vacant functional posts across various departments in the valley.

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Pangwal Ekta Manch, a forum of Pangi people, has written to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to address the issue effectively.

The organisation has expressed concern over the prolonged vacancies in key government departments, including Health & Family Welfare, Ayush, Animal Health & Breeding, Education, Agriculture, Horticulture, Forest, Public Works, Jal Shakti, Revenue, and Rural Development & Panchayati Raj.

The unfilled positions, they argue, are severely affecting essential services and development efforts in the remote tribal area. In the letter, Pangi Ekta Manch chairman Trilok Thakur highlighted that the Resident Commissioner (RC) position, an IAS rank post, has been vacant since August 2024, further crippling the administrative structure of the region.

The SDM of Pangi currently holds additional charge of the RC, Pangi.

Other crucial positions, such as Executive Engineer (Public Works), Block Development Officer, Block Medical Officer, Assistant Director (Animal Health & Breeding), Treasury Officer, Child Development Project Officer, Tehsil Welfare Officer, and Block Elementary Education Officer, remain unfilled, forcing lower-rank officials to handle responsibilities beyond their capacity.

"The lackadaisical attitude of the state government towards Pangi’s administrative needs is evident from the fact that top-level posts remain vacant for years, leaving the local population deprived of basic governance and services," wrote Thakur. The Pangwal Ekta Manch, he said, urges the Chief Minister to instruct the Chief Secretary to issue necessary directives ensuring that officers and officials are posted/transferred to all tribal areas, including Pangi, on a priority basis within a stipulated timeframe.

Furthermore, the organisation has demanded a special recruitment drive to address the backlog of vacancies reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs) in different government departments. Positions from Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services (HPAS) to Class-IV posts have remained unfilled for the past 5-10 years, denying tribal youth crucial employment opportunities.

"The government must launch a focused recruitment campaign through HP Public Service Commission, HP Service Selection Board Hamirpur, and other agencies to ensure that these vacancies are filled at the earliest," he added.

Pangi is one of the most isolated and rugged tribal regions in Himachal. The valley remains cut off from the rest of the state for nearly six months every year due to heavy snowfall, making accessibility a major challenge.

The harsh climate, lack of proper road infrastructure, inadequate healthcare, and limited educational facilities add to the difficulties faced by the local population.

Despite being rich in natural beauty and cultural heritage, Pangi struggles with poor administrative presence, high unemployment, and delayed development projects, leaving residents dependent on seasonal employment and government support.