Visits to districts aimed at assessment of ground situation, review development: CM

CM Omar Abdullah along with Cabinet Ministers chairing a meeting in Poonch on Thursday. -Excelsior/Waseem
CM Omar Abdullah along with Cabinet Ministers chairing a meeting in Poonch on Thursday. -Excelsior/Waseem

Omar raises question mark on exit polls
*Officers instructed to expedite works
Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Nov 21: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the purpose of his visit to the districts along with entire Cabinet and senior officers is to assess ground situation, review development works and listen to issues faced by the people after conduct of the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

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In a brief chat with media persons after reviewing developmental works and meeting 24 delegations in the border district of Poonch, Omar said Poonch is the first district in the Jammu region where he along with entire Council of Ministry reached today to review development and various other aspects of the situation.

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“We met the elected MLAs, District Development Council (DDC) chairperson, senior officers and took some on spot decisions. We also met around 24 delegations from across the district. This is now people’s Government and we have to keep liaison with the people,” the Chief Minister said.
He said instructions have been given to the officers for expediting developmental works.
Omar said the elected Government has been making efforts to assess ground realities on the development front post elections.
“We took a review of grassroots-level development and problems and listened to both officers and local representatives,” he added.
Omar was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, members of his Council of Ministers and senior officials as part of an outreach programme aimed at bringing the Government to the doorsteps of people in rural districts.
“We have issued instructions on the ground regarding the issues projected by the public at the grassroots level,” he said.
Responding to a question on exit polls results for Maharashtra and Jharkhand, the Chief Minister wondered why the new channels have been paying to the agencies for conducting exist polls when they are turning out to be incorrect just like Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.
An official handout said: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah conducted a comprehensive review of developmental works in Poonch district today, marking his first visit to the district since assuming office.
The review meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Cabinet Ministers Sakeena Masood, Javed Ahmad Rana, Javid Ahmad Dar and Satish Sharma, along with Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Administrative Secretaries, District Development Council chairperson, Members of the Legislative Assembly from Poonch district, Deputy Commissioner Poonch, top civil and police officers and departmental heads.
The Deputy Commissioner Poonch delivered a detailed presentation on the progress of CAPEX projects and the achievements of various departments.
The Chief Minister emphasized the importance of completing ongoing projects within stipulated timelines while adhering to the highest quality standards to ensure maximum benefit for the public.
Omar highlighted the importance of inputs from elected representatives, including Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and District Development Council (DDC) members.
During the meeting, MLA Haveli Ajaz Jan and MLA Surankote Chowdhary Akram raised pressing issues, including road connectivity, healthcare, education, and power infrastructure. Prominent delegations, including representatives from Beopar Mandal, religious leaders of all communities, civil society organizations, the ex-servicemen association, bar associations, social workers, and sportspersons, also met with the Chief Minister, presenting their demands and concerns.
Omar assured the delegations of timely redressal of their genuine demands, emphasizing the Government’s resolve to address public grievances effectively.
As part of his visit, the Chief Minister also inaugurated several completed projects in virtual mode of various departments, including PWD, School Education, Animal Husbandry and Jal Jeevan Mission.