Continuing the endeavours of the UT Government to reach out to the common masses with responsive and accountable governance at their doorsteps as a part of the ongoing “Back to Village Phase-3 progamme”, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha on Thursday visited Peeri area of block Budhal in Rajouri district.
On the occasion, the Lt Governor e-inaugurated Multipurpose Sports Stadium, Rajouri worth Rs 12.3 cr.
While addressing the gathering , the Lt Governor observed that Hon’ble Prime Minister has acknowledged the sports potential of Jammu & Kashmir and therefore sanctioned Rs 200 crore under Prime Minister’s Development Package for upgradation of sports infrastructure and encouragement of budding talent in the field. Similarly, the Khelo India initiative has also been a great catalyst in promotion of sports activities here.
‘I’ve been informed that the Rs 3.82 crore Indoor Sports Stadium at Kotranka is at the verge of completion. Similarly, three other stadia at Naushera, Kalakote and Lamberi are also going to be completed soon. Five stadia is a source of great encouragement for the Rajouri youth. Even at the grass root level, for the promotion of sports, each panchayat has issued sports kits during Back to Village-3 according to local choice of sports’, said the Lt Governor.
The success of Back to Village is due to enthusiastic government machinery and the empowered Panchayati Raj system. In the past 5-6 years, a lot has been done by the government to develop 136 villages adjoining the borders. Development deficit of 70 years will be mitigated and soon J&K will enter the new dawn of equitable development, he added.
‘Back to Village is not a platform for launching new projects but an initiative for introduction of funds, functions and functionaries with the public. The 54 governmental schemes launched for the development of villages, need to be implemented with due dialogue with the locals. There is a need to ensure that all stalled and delayed works are expedited to connect all villages of the UT with the mainstream’.
‘I want to put an end to the tradition of hollow announcements and intend to introduce a new wave of implementations’, the Lt Governor maintained.
Speaking on employment and job-opportunities, the Lt Governor announced that a comprehensive plan is in offing for filling up of 25,000 vacancies with 10,000 posts already advertised.
The UT Government is also working on fulfilling the assurance of 50,000 jobs given by the Prime Minister. Central Armed Police Force, Paramilitary Forces and JKP recruitment rallies shall also be conducted across the UT, he added.
The Lt Governor stressed on the need to complete priority projects in a time-bound manner for the benefit of public.
‘I am working incessantly to materialise on-ground execution of projects and for the wholesome development of each household of every village by making them Atmanirbhar’, he said.
The upcoming Industrial Policy, which will be among the best in the country, is also going to be announced soon which will significantly change the villages of J&K. Soon, it will be in Public domain, the Lt Governor affirmed.
He stressed on the need to spread massive awareness of schemes under Agriculture, Horticulture and allied sectors in order to achieve the desired result of doubling the farmers’ income. Government is planning to open J&K Bank branches in every Panchayat so that people can avail the banking facilities, he added.
The Lt Governor expressed happiness over greater participation of women in Rajouri panchayats; the numbers being 9 BDC Chairpersons, 111 Sarpanches and 360 Panches.
He said that the Rajouri is a land of women empowerment and encouraged the women folk of Rajouri to keep participating and take a greater leadership role in development of the district.
It was informed that 2445 works out of 3267 under the 14th FC funds and 296 out of 312 Community Sanitary Complexes have been completed in the district. He congratulated the PRI members for the encouraging response in execution of projects.
‘In past 21 days of Jan Abhiyaan, more than 70 thousand Domicile Certificates, more than 10 thousand Caste, Income and other certificates have been issued. During the period, 55 thousand pension applications were approved and 1253 farmers were issued Kisan Credit Cards. Similar encouraging figures have emerged with respect to Ayushman Bharat Cards, scholarships and other schemes of Social Welfare Department’
Under Back to Village programme, both people and administration have equal responsibility to build a well-developed house and society that will contribute to growth of the nation. Administration hearing the grievances of the people is a regular feature and will be continued. The Government is laying special focus on Connectivity to every village and every household, said the Lt Governor
I want to ensure that beneficiary schemes actually reach the last person in the queue and villages as well as its people are empowered’, he continued.
‘People of Rajouri have shown an increasing amount of faith in three subsequent Block Diwas events where the number of participants increased from 5500 in the first week to 7200 in the last.’‘If you take one step towards the government, the government will walk five towards you’.
‘345 out of 349 Jamabandis have been updated. Satisfactory progress has been shown in works of PWD, Jal Shakti, Power and Social Welfare Department. During the current year, Rs 111 crore have been sanctioned under which more than 7000 works are to be taken up. Aadhaar seeding in MGNREGA needs to be expedited and 100% saturation to be achieved shortly’, he continued.
The Lt Governor called for expediting Aadhaar seeding of beneficiaries of the social welfare and other beneficiary oriented schemes.
The Lt Governor appreciated the district for 100% saturation under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and instructed the panchayats to install two separate garbage bins- one for solid and the other for liquid waste. He also guided them to engage two sanitation workers under MGNREGA. He also guided them about composting, recycling and generation of manure from waste.
Expressing his concern for the border dwellers in face of Pak firing, the Lt Governor observed that 2537 bunkers have been constructed for their benefit and 604 more are to be completed soon.
The Lt Governor announced that the government is working on a Tribal Model Village scheme under which two Tribal Village Pilot Projects have been created and the same are aimed at benefiting the 37% tribal population of the district. Similarly, he said that nine schemes in the agriculture sector have also been started in the district. He also called for diversification and engagement of farmers in other allied activities to increase their income.
The Lt Governor spoke on bee-keeping and said that the sector has enough potential and that the government is ready to provide financial assistance to those desiring to take it up. He also called officers from the Animal Husbandry department to promote various self employment schemes of the department for the benefit of the masses. ‘Action Taken Report’ was also sought from the Deputy Commissioner on some particular schemes.
Focusing on generating self-employment and promoting entrepreneurship, two educated youth from every Panchayat are provided financial assistance to set up business units during Back to Village-3. More than 8,500 youth will be benefited from this initiative across J&K and a special helpdesk has been set up by J&K bank for assisting young boys and girls in setting up their business, the Lt Governor maintained.
Meanwhile, the Lt Governor interacted with the elected representatives and public there and took stock of their grievances, besides making them aware of the simplified ways and means of availing the Government schemes and facilities at their doorsteps.
Sh. Farooq Khan, Advisor to the Lt Governor, Sh. Sanjeev Verma, Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Sh. Mukesh Singh, IGP Jammu; Sh. Vivek Gupta, DIG Rajouri Poonch Range; Sh. Mohammad Nazir Sheikh, Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri; BDC Chairpersons, PRI Representatives and people in large number were present on the occasion.