JAMMU, JUNE 22: Continuing with the agenda of decentralizing power at the grass roots level, the ‘Back to Village’ initiative today entered day 4 with all the Panchayat halqas of Jammu hummed with multi activities like women gram sabhas, public meetings, inspections, constitution of social audit committees, plantation drives, distribution of soil health cards, awareness about centrally and state-sponsored schemes, Grehpraveshs of PMAY beneficiaries.
The programme envisages taking the administration at the doorsteps of rural people and involving them in decision making.
At UDHAMPUR, day four of ‘Back to Village’ initiative saw activities being undertaken in 9 panchayats of the district, with visiting officers conducting public meets, inspections to access the status of amenities available for the people at grassroots’ level, besides identifying areas for growth for the panchayat.
Public interactions in panchayats saw people raising issues of dilapidated conditions of link roads, poor water supply, increase in industrial pollution affecting the production of crops, pending payments of MGNREGA, left out beneficiaries in Ayushman Bharat scheme, lack of street lights, irregular power supply among others.
A demand for establishment of cottage industry in the area for women was also projected besides sanctioning of new water supply schemes and clearing of pending land compensation cases was demanded.
During the day several activities were also conducted in various panchayats across the district including women gram sabhas, the constitution of social audit committees, plantation drives, distribution of soil health cards, interactions about centrally and state sponsored schemes, Grehpraveshs of PMAY beneficiaries etc.
During the day, pledges were administered to PRI members and other villagers, who were asked to promise to work actively towards the development of their panchayats and make them drug-free.
The PM’s letter addressed to Gram Sabhas was also read out to the PRI members and villagers.
In many panchayats special theme based cultural programmes were also organized.
Pertinently, Day 4 marked the completion of Phase one of the ‘Back to Village’ programme in the district.
At JAMMU, as part of the Back to Village programme, District Development Commissioner, Ramesh Kumar, visited Kot Balwal village and assessed the implementation of the initiative.
He inspected the stalls installed by various government departments, Agriculture, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Revenue, J&K Bank, Health etc, to educate the rural masses about the development schemes.
The culture wing of the Department of Information and Public Relations organized a colourful cultural program depicting the development process initiated by the government in various fields.
DDC asked the rural masses to come up with their grievances, during the ongoing programme, with regard to the development process in their area so that the efforts could be made to redress their issues.
On the occasion, the Health Department distributed baby health kits among the beneficiaries.
ACD Jammu, Aijaz Qaiser, Sarpanch and Panches were also present on the occasion.
Earlier, ACD also visited block Mandal Phalain and launched the rally regarding from Panchayat Surya Chak ‘Save the Tawi’.
Meanwhile, a Gram Sabha was organized by Secretary Higher Education Department, Talat Pervez Rohella, at Jhiri which was attended by Tariq Hussain Naik, Sub Divisional Magistrate, Marh, Er. Surinder Singh, Tehsildar, Marh, S. Ranjit Singh Tara, BDO Marh, Officers of line Departments, Sarpanchs, Panchs and locals.
The public was made aware of the schemes of different departments.
Secretary issued 40 PRC, 12 SC, 5 OBC certificates to the beneficiaries on the spot besides giving away 15 certificates to meritorious students. He also took stock of public grievances and addressed some issues on the spot.
The Secretary also visited several villages of Panchayat Kalyanpur and interacted with the general public.
At SAMBA, under the phase second of ‘Back to Village’ programme various activities including Gram Sabhas, interactions with PRIs, inaugurations and awareness camps were held in 36 Panchayat Halqas of Ramgarh, Nud and Sumb blocks of the district.
The visiting officers organized number of interaction programs in the panchayats to assess the development needs of people and take their feedback for socio-economic transformation of rural areas.
The visiting officers urged the sarpanchs, panchs and senior citizens to ensure their participatory role plan formulations for effective development in their areas.
Meanwhile, the District Development Commissioner, Sushma Chauhan along with Assistant Commissioner Revenue Kulbhushan Khajuria, Assistant Commissioner Development, Muddasir Latif Tasir conducted an extensive tour of various panchayats including Rangoon, Chak Salaria, Mananu, Diruee and took stock of implementation of the programme.
She also interacted with the public and listened to their issues.
The people highlighted issues and demands like construction and up-gradation of approach roads and culverts, augmentation of water supply schemes, the opening of Primary Health Centres and veterinary dispensaries, permit for passenger transport services, inclusion of left out beneficiaries in the list of old age/ handicapped and widow pension schemes, bifurcation of ration cards,, up-gradation of government schools, plantation and construction of sheds at Shamshan ghats and many others.
Several public utilities were dedicated by the visiting officers to the people including houses under PMAY-G, playgrounds, construction of lanes drains, bathing ghats, tube wells. Other activities like plantation and cleanliness drives were also carried out by designated officers in several panchayats.
At Kathua, Gram Sabha meeting, the constitution of village health and sanitation committee, social audit committee and agriculture committee were few activities performed on second day of phase two of ‘Back to Village’ programme.
During Gram Sabha meetings at Godu Falal, Najote, Pathwal, Gura Mundian, Dher, Bhed Blore and Mooni panchayats of Kathua, villagers raised demand for a fresh survey of left over beneficiaries for various Govt. schemes, community sanitary complex, compensation due to crop loss, old age pension, scholarship for students, water supply schemes and repair of damaged roads besides augmentation of PDD infra.
The designated officers motivated the villagers to establish vermin compost units, play fields, activities for water conservation and restoration of natural water bodies and plantation drive besides various welfare programmes.
It is pertinent to mention that 52 panchayats of 5 blocks in Kathua were observing “Back to Village” programme in the second day of phase two.
The event also witnessed female Gram Sabhas, an inspection of rural infrastructure and inauguration of newly constructed public utilities. Letter of PM to Sarpanchs was also read out in all panchayats.
AT REASI, activities like the inauguration of pakka track at panchayat Sarh Lower in block Mahore, the inauguration of a footbridge at panchayat Chaklas, block Thuroo besides inspection of public utilities, plantation and cleanliness drives marked day 4 of Back to Village programme in the district.
The designated officers highlighted the importance of rainwater harvesting, cleanliness, plantation, during various gram sabhas organised in all the allotted panchayats of the district.
A number of Gram Sabhas, awareness camps besides inspections were held in the twin districts to assess the development needs of people and take their feedback for socio-economic transformation of rural areas.
