SRINAGAR, July 10: Union Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Shailesh Kumar Singh, chaired a high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat in Jammu and Kashmir to evaluate the progress of various schemes implemented by the ministry in the region.
The meeting was attended by key officials including Commissioner Secretary of Rural Development Department & Panchayati Raj, Mandeep Kaur, Secretary in the Rural Development Department, Director of Rural Development Jammu/Kashmir, MD JKRLM, COO Himayat, Director Finance RDD, Joint Director Planning, ADCs of all districts, and other relevant officers of the department.
During the meeting, Secretary Singh emphasized the need to expedite the implementation of all schemes to ensure prompt delivery of benefits to deserving beneficiaries. He urged the officers to submit timely requests to the ministry for the release of necessary funds to successfully execute these schemes.
Commissioner Secretary Mandeep Kaur provided a comprehensive update on the progress of different schemes across the Union Territory. It was revealed that last year, a record 2 lakh works were completed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), with special focus on Amrit Sarovars and SBMG works. While the Union Territory stands at number two in the country under Amrit Sarovar, the department has been given a target to establish one Amrit Sarovar per panchayat within this year. Impact assessments of Amrit Sarovars have been conducted, and corrective actions are being taken based on the assessment.
Regarding the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) (PMAY-G), Commissioner/Secretary Mandeep Kaur thanked Secretary Singh for sanctioning an additional 199,550 houses to Jammu and Kashmir, aiming to fulfill the Permanent waiting list by the year-end. She assured that the entire RDD team is working diligently to ensure the completion of all houses by January 26, 2024.
The meeting also discussed the progress and status of J&K-based schemes such as HIMAYAT, JK Rural Livelihood Mission’s UMEED, as well as SAGY and RURBAN.
The Ministry of Rural Development continues to focus on the efficient execution of schemes in Jammu and Kashmir, striving to bring about positive changes and improve the lives of the people in the region.
