SRINAGAR: Minister of Rural Development Department (RDD) & Panchayati Raj, Javed Ahmad Dar, today maintained that the Rural Development Department has huge potential to boost the rural economy and uplift the living standards of people residing in villages of Jammu and Kashmir. The Minister made these remarks while chairing a maiden review meeting of RD&PR department here at Civil Secretariat.
The Minister had a detailed scheme wise review of implementation of schemes including MGNREGA, PMAY-G, SBM- G, NRLM, RGSA, IWMP and Himayat while assessing progress achieved, so far, under these flagship schemes.
Asserting on achieving improvement in delivery of services, the Minister asked the officers to deliver as per expectations of the general public. He said that the employees shall be treated as per their performance besides no laxity would be tolerated in execution of development projects and public welfare programmes.
Javed Dar instructed the officers to sensitize the line staff about the significance of performing their role and responsibilities with utmost devotion and sincerity for public convenience. Underscoring the need for ensuring quality and timely work execution of all ongoing projects, undertaken under different schemes, the Minister directed the officers to conduct field visits in their respective jurisdictions.
While reviewing JKRLM scheme, the Minister called for handholding of aspiring women entrepreneurs in both farm and non-farming work initiatives under Umeed and other components, besides facilitating better market linkages to SHGs and providing stall spaces at prominent destination. The Minister underlined the need for successful implementation of convergence of schemes of different sectors. He instructed the officers to ensure imparting skill oriented training to the youth in rural areas for better employment opportunities.
During the meeting, the Minister called for applying innovative approaches, inter-departmental convergence and greater accountability to maximize the impact of rural development schemes. He emphasized the critical need for enhanced collaboration with various departments to amplify the effectiveness of developmental efforts.
Javed Dar reiterated his commitment towards ensuring that all rural development efforts are transparent, effective, and aimed at improving the livelihood of rural citizens in Jammu & Kashmir.
The Minister also took detailed review of status of panchayats ghars, DDC, BDC accommodations, office accommodation and other infrastructure developments in newly created blocks, water resources preservation works, functioning of Himayat Centres, development of Sheep rearing units, fish ponds, rural sanitation including garbage collection and disposal, generation of PDs and other initiatives under different schemes.
Earlier, Secretary, Rural Development Department and Panchayati Raj (RD&PR), Mohammad Aijaz Asad, briefed the Minister regarding the current status ongoing initiatives and schemes aimed at rural development and rural life uplifting in the J&K. On the occasion, detailed presentations were given by the concerned HoDs about performance and current status of different schemes.
Among others, the meeting was attended by Secretary in RDD, Rachna Sharma, Director General Rural Sanitation, Anoo Malhotra, Managing Director JKRLM, Shubra Sharma, Director RDD Kashmir, Shabir Hussain Bhat, Director RDD Jammu Mumtaz Ali, Director Panchayati Raj Sham Lal, Director Finance Umar Khan, CEO IWMP, Rajnish Kumar, COO, Himayat, Rajneesh Gupta, Additional Secretary RD&PR, Waseem Raja, Additional Secretary RD&PR, Kartar Singh, all ACDs and ACPs.
