Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 18: Stressing upon empowerment of people at the grassroot level, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, today said the prime objective of all rural development programmes must be to improve the quality of life in our villages, where a major chunk of the State’s population resides.
The Chief Minister said the idea of convergence will yield better results if more departments are involved in assets’ creation in rural areas, thereby resulting in economic betterment of people as well as social transformation. “There has to be efficiency and greater transparency in utilization of funds so that we eliminate poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment in our rural belts,” she stated.
The Chief Minister was speaking during a high-level review meeting of the Rural Development Department (RDD), at the Civil Secretariat today.
Besides Minister for RDD, Abdul Haq Khan, Chief Secretary, B. R. Sharma, Financial Commissioner, Planning & Monitoring, B. B. Vyas, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Navin. K. Chaudhary and Secretary, RDD, Khursheed Ahmad Shah, attended the meeting.
Linking State’s progress with the growth of its vast rural areas, the Chief Minister observed that there will be better prospects of economic growth if people at the panchayat-level are actively involved in various development schemes. Appreciating the RDD for its initiative under convergence model, she said the results will be more encouraging if other departments are taken under its wings. “RDD needs to widen the scope of convergence by tying up with Tourism, I&FC, H&UDD as well as other departments to create sustainable infrastructure in our villages,” she added.
Highlighting the need to make the functioning of RDD’s flagship social security programme, MNREGA, more effective, Mehbooba Mufti also suggested linking of its labour-component with I&FC and PHE Departments in the first instance. To bring in more transparency in disbursement of wages, she also issued instructions for making Aadhar-based enrolment mandatory for all MNREGA workers.
The Chief Minister desired that revival and conservation of small water-bodies and creation of green spaces by planting trees where rural infrastructure is coming up should also be explored under MNREGA.
Secretary RDD informed the meeting that the process of Aadhar-linked enrolment has been launched and all job-card holders will be registered by the end of November this year and displayed on the department’s website. On convergence initiatives like Project Rahat, successfully launched in Udhampur by DDC Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary for connecting remote rural pockets by construction of small bridges, he said proposals worth Rs.50 crore have been framed, largely from the availability of resources from 13th FC. These, he said will be taken up for creation of durable assets mainly in flood protection structures, development of play-fields, connectivity, check dams & land protection, construction of CFCs and training centres.
Emphasizing upon housing for rural poor as a priority area, the Chief Minister issued directions for prominently displaying names of all Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) beneficiaries at all Panchayat Ghars to ensure transparency.
Navin. K. Chaudhary informed the meeting of an additional allocation of Rs.400 crore which had been transferred to all the panchayats in the State. He said the RDD needs to prepare guidelines so that the funds are judiciously utilized to alleviate rural poverty by focusing on areas like drinking water, housing and construction of roads.
While reviewing the performance under National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) – UMEED, a poverty alleviation and women empowerment programme, Mehbooba Mufti directed RDD to bring the six uncovered districts under the ambit of the scheme this year. She said keeping in view the high success rate of women in Self Help Groups (SHGs), empowering women by forming cooperative linkages will hugely transform the rural landscape in the State.
The Chief Minister also reviewed the performance of Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP). She was informed about the perspective and strategic plans to treat 998 micro-sheds along with 15.33 lakh ha of land till the end of 14th Five Year Plan.
So far, the Union Ministry has sanctioned 159 projects at a cost of Rs 970.72 crore, out of which DPRs have been prepared for 82 projects.
The Chief Minister was also apprised by RDD Secretary about the achievements of the department under Swachh Bharat Mission, marketing support to rural artisans and guidelines for utilization of funds under 14th Finance Commission.
Also present in the meeting were Director RDD, Kashmir, Tasaduq Jeelani, Director RDD Jammu, Kuldeep Raj Khajuria and Mission Director, NRLM, Dr. G. N. Qasba.
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