Block Diwas held at Kalakote to redress public grievances and enhance service delivery

• DDC Rajouri listens to people's issues; directs for prompt redressal

RAJOURI: As part of the Government’s ongoing public outreach and grievance redressal initiative, a Block Diwas programme was today organized at Dak Bungalow Kalakote to address public grievances and ensure effective service delivery at the grassroots level.

The event was presided over by District Development Commissioner (DDC) Rajouri, Abhishek Sharma, who interacted with a large number of people from adjoining panchayats and listened to their issues and demands pertaining to various departments.

The public raised several issues including the insurance of sheep and goats of nomads, sale of wool, water scarcity, exemption of electricity charges during migration, blacktopping of roads (especially HSS to Dali), non-functional PHE tanker, establishment of handicraft centres, shortage of teachers in schools, closure near forest areas, pending material payments under MGNREGA, rationalization of doctors and completion of the Siot–Kalakote road under PMGSY.

After patiently listening to the grievances, the DDC issued on-the-spot directions to the concerned officers for their early redressal. He directed the officers to ensure awareness among nomads regarding livestock insurance and to repair the Batera water supply within five days. The non-functional PHE tanker was also directed to be made operational immediately.

The DDC further instructed for rationalization of teachers, health, and veterinary staff across the block, and expediting the completion of the Siot–Kalakote PMGSY road by or before March 2026. He also directed that hand pumps be made functional before December 2025 and that blacktopping of roads be completed before December 2025, with due communication to the concerned Lambardars and Chowkidars before execution.

Emphasizing the importance of outcome-based governance, DDC Abhishek Sharma said, “Work is impactful only when it brings visible change in public life. The outcome of government schemes should be tangible and transformative”. He also directed AEE and JE-level officers to ensure regular field visits for timely monitoring of works.

He urged the public to avail benefits of various Central and UT Government welfare schemes, including health insurance, life insurance and other social security schemes, to improve their quality of life. Appreciating the efforts of the District Administration, DDC Member Moughla, Shamim Akhter, requested the DDC to conduct similar Block Diwas programmes in Moughla and Terayath areas to extend the outreach further.

On the occasion, officers from various departments including Social Welfare, Agriculture, Horticulture, Veterinary, Health, Rural Development, Power Development Department (PDD), Public Health Engineering (PHE) and banking institutions also conducted awareness activities to educate the public about government welfare schemes and services.

Among others present on the occasion were ADC Kalakote, Tanvir Ahmed; PO ICDS, Harpal Singh; CPO, Maqsood Ahmed; ACD, Auqil Naveed; DSWO, Abdul Raheem; Executive Engineers PWD, Zaheer Ahmed, Executive Engineer PMGSY, Executive Engineer PDD, Abdul Rasheed and executive Engineer PHE Sudesh Kumar; CMO, Dr. Manohar Lal Rana, besides other district and block officers.