Dharamshala, Dec. 7 -- Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday said women would be inducted into the fire services for which necessary amendments to recruitment rules would be made soon. He said the state government has been prioritising women empowerment. Home guard recruitments would also commence shortly, he said while presiding over a ceremony marking the 63rd Raising Day of Himachal Pradesh Home Guards and Civil Defence at Saroghee, Shimla. Extending his greetings to the personnel of home guards, civil defence, fire services and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the CM said that these departments have made exceptional contributions to the safety, security and development of the state. He informed that home guards and fire services carried out 708 search and rescue operations during the year, saving 448 lives. Their professional efficiency also helped protect property worth Rs.2,000 crore from damage, he said. In addition, the department restored 1,035 water sources and water bodies, he added. He also honoured various units and personnel of the department for their outstanding performance. The CM paid floral tributes to Bharat Ratna Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Constitution, at Chaura Maidan, Shimla on his death anniversary. "Ambedkar was a visionary statesman and a pioneering social reformer who dedicated his life to upholding equality, justice, and the rights of marginalised communities. His legacy continues to inspire and guide the nation in building a progressive and inclusive India," he said. At Raj Bhavan, governor Shiv Pratap Shukla offered floral tributes to Ambedkar. "It is our collective responsibility to imbibe his ideals and contribute towards building an inclusive, just and empowered India," he said. Under the Vyavastha Parivartan initiative, the state government has introduced a series of technology-driven reforms, the CM said. "Automation of departmental processes and services is significantly improving efficiency, transparency and citizen convenience. The rollout of e-office marked a major shift toward paperless administration by enabling digital file movement, workflow automation and document management. As of today, 98 directorates, 59 sub-divisional magistrate offices, 88 block development offices, all DC and SP offices, and 254 other field offices besides 108 branches of HP Secretariat are operating on the e-office system," the government informed. To improve access in rural areas, 1,226 new Lok Mitra Kendras have been established, providing HimachalSeva portal services at the doorstep. The HimSeva e-District Portal now delivers 449 services through a single-window platform. In the last three years alone, 233 services have been added, with DigiLocker integration enabling citizens to securely access digital documents....