Third Phase likely in October
* Calls for strengthening rural road connectivity
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 17: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today directed for follow up of action under Back to Village Programme.
Taking cue from the overwhelming public response, he directed for third phase of the ambitious Back to Village Programme, which is likely to be held in the month of October.
He observed that public is the ultimate judge of the quality of works executed, and asked the officers to make sure that the rational demands projected by them during the first phase of B2V Programme are reasonably fulfilled before launching the next phase of the programme.
The Lt Governor was reviewing the implementation of works under Back to Village Programme at Raj Bhavan.
He called for strengthening rural road connectivity for the socio-economic development of the villages of J&K. He stressed on expediting rural road connectivity and piped drinking water for all villages, as roads, power and drinking water are the basic requisites for the holistic development of any area. Work aggressively to connect every village that fulfils the norms of PMGSY, he added.
The Lt Governor asked the Secretary, Jal Shakti Department to direct all his energy towards achieving the target of providing 100% piped water under Jal Jeevan Mission by March 2022.
He directed the Secretary, Rural Development Department to prepare inventories and database of equipments and facilities in village Panchayats, besides updating B2V works on the web portal for the information of the public.
“Identify most backward blocks for their development on the lines of Aspirational Districts”, he added, asserting that development in true sense would be ensured only if we are able to develop these backward areas.
The Lt Governor called for 100% saturation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes for the benefit of larger population and directed for establishment of playgrounds in every Panchayat under convergence mode. He also stressed on aggressive vaccination and immunization of livestock, as J&K is lagging behind on this front.
He also reviewed the preparations for the constitution of District Development and Planning Boards.
While taking a detailed assessment of the works executed under B2V programme, the Lt Governor was informed that a total of 4097 works have been completed at a cost of Rs 81 cr and around 1,405 works costing Rs 51 cr are in progress.
Further, an amount of Rs 1400 cr has been released to the Panchayats under 14th Finance Commission.
The chair was informed that the first ever exercise in the form of B2V was conducted by the Government towards participatory planning of developmental works identified by the public with an aim to strengthen and facilitate the Panchayats and bridge the gap between Administration and the public.
Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar and Baseer Ahmad Khan, Advisors to the Lt Governor; BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, Power Development Department; M Raju, Secretary to the Government, Planning, Development and Monitoring department & Jal Shakti department; Sheetal Nanda, Secretary to the Government, Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, besides senior officers attended the meeting.
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