Public participation is the soul of Back to Village programme, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha reiterated during his visit to the border Panchayat, Pallanwala in Jammu District.
He said that Rural-Urban divide is being minimized with J&K Government’s ambitious Back to Village initiative.
The Lt Governor, while addressing a large gathering there, observed that the same set of official machinery has delivered amazing results under Jan Abhiyan and Back to Village programme, proving that with right intentions and eyes on the goal, we can achieve new heights of development. ‘With this ambitious Back to Village initiative of the Government, Rural-Urban divide will be minimized’, he added.
‘I am not here to make new promises, but for optimum implementation and utilization of funds. Let the public and the government meet and discuss their priority projects and begin a new era of rapid development. I believe in action-based implementation’, said the Lt Governor.
Absence of governance and inaccessibility of officers have long marred our villages. Back to Village is an attempt to bridge this gap and during the past one month, officers and the public have displayed bilateral enthusiasm in it. It is the duty of the officers to take up the responsibility and help eliminate the lacunae. Dialogue alongwith public’s feedback is the bedrock equitable, inclusive development and transparent governance.
And, when you visit these villages you must examine the crucial growth drivers in that particular region. Since we need to bring equity, growth and inclusion in our villages and also sustain it, we must focus on basic services, infrastructure facilities to kick start a growth process which increases citizen participation while fixing the accountability from top to the bottom’, the Lt Governor maintained.
‘Development is not possible without ‘funds, functions and functionaries’ and we have enough of them. With dedication, all of these could be implemented on ground for the betterment of the public’, he added.
Being an agriculture oriented region, it would be ensured that all 9 farmers-oriented schemes of the Government reach the workforce here, said the Lt Governor.
He also stressed on the need to reduce monsoon dependency of farmers in J&K. He informed the public about installing Solar Pumps and Micro Irrigation Schemes initiated by Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi.
Expressing his resolve of doubling farmers’ income in the coming two years, the Lt Governor said that the same could not be achieved without sincere efforts in implementation of Government’s schemes on ground.
Highlighting the problems faced by farmers with small holdings, the Lt Governor observed that they could be eliminated with infusion of new technology at the block level.
The Lt Governor observed that two aspiring entrepreneurs from each panchayat are being identified, provided handholding and monetary assistance to start their business venture. ‘Even if 8500 such youths are supported’, said the Lt Governor, ‘and if they each provide livelihood to at least five others, we could have at least 40 thousand jobs under the initiative’.
“Rs 25,000 cr industrial investments is in the offing and J&K is going to secure this huge investment after announcement of a historic Industrial soon”, he added.
‘My objective is maximum utilization of Industries, Manufacturing, service sector, Village industries, Handicraft, tourism and technology to create more jobs in rural areas of Jammu Kashmir because I believe there is vast yet untapped talent pool in our villages waiting for an opportunity’, the Lt Governor affirmed.
He called for 100% saturation in four different employment related schemes of the Government, besides all social security schemes including scholarships and pensions etc.
Speaking on the New Education Policy, he laid stress on evolution of a students-teachers’ feedback system. ‘To enable youngsters to participate in the mainstream economy, it is crucial that all governmental schemes of education sector are implemented properly on ground’, said the Lt Governor.
There is great potential in horticulture, animal husbandry and food processing sectors in the region, and therefore we need to motivate the public here to take up food processing ventures with the government’s support.
The Lt Governor said that every panchayat has been provided two garbage bins during Back to Village 3. Two sanitation workers are also to be engaged in each panchayat for its cleanliness under MGNREGA. He announced that each panchayat in of Jammu & Kashmir would be provided a bio digester by next year to further the cause of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan.
Sh. Jugal Kishore Sharma and Sh. Shamsher Singh Manhas, Members of Parliament; Sh. BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Sh. Sanjeev Verma, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu; Ms. Sushma Chauhan, Deputy Commissioner Jammu; Sh. Sham Lal, Former Minister; Former legislator, Dr. Krishan Lal; BDC Chairpersons; PRI representatives and large number of people from all walks of life were present on the occasion.