Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 11: The remote Chingam in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district has transformed into a model village after being adopted by the Army with the twin objectives of helping the local people overcome their hardships and countering radicalisation, an official said on Sunday.
Located 50 km from Kishtwar town, the village in Chhatroo sub-division has witnessed a flurry of activities over the past two years, ranging from COVID-19 management to youth empowerment programmes under the supervision of the Army, the official said.
With the potential that the village demonstrated, the official said, the administration has notified Chingam as a tourist village on October 13.
From the COVID-19 management to a number of activities now with the themes of youth empowerment, employment generation, education and health, the village has set benchmarks and has presented itself as a model in the Union Territory, he said.
He said more women and youths are coming forward to be a part of projects run by the Army.
The recently set up Chingam Youth Club provides an opportunity and platform to the youth to hone their creative talent and also widen avenues for further growth, the official said.
The facility, equipped with a computer training lab, library and sports facilities, inculcates a sense of unity and pride in the hearts and minds of the youth in the region, the official said.
“This ‘Youth Activities Centre’ is definitely a step towards providing much-needed basic sports and computer training infrastructure for the youth as also towards channelising youth energy in the right direction for the greater good of the society,” he said.
The Army adopted the village in 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently a multifarious campaign was launched which included awareness programmes to sensitise the village population on COVID-19-hygiene and importance of vaccination.
With the collective efforts of people, Army and the administration, Chingam village became the first one in the region to achieve 100 per cent vaccination of population in all age groups.
The official said the Army roped in experts to make the youth aware of button mushroom cultivation and marketing of the product.
He said a total of 327 youths attended an awareness camp on the Agniveer scheme for short-term recruitment in the armed forces from the village and adjoining areas and four local boys cleared the physical and medical tests and are now preparing for written tests, the official said.
In the first such initiative, he said, Chenab Valley Cross Country Race was organised at Chingam on September 18 with an aim to inculcate and further promote sports spirit and identify and nurture the talent for higher levels.
Follow our WhatsApp channel