Udhampur, May 19: Union Minister for Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs, Smriti Zubin Irani on Friday said the government has empowered Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) which are acting as a bridge between the government and the public and has resulted in increasing the pace of development in all sectors.
As part of the Public Outreach Programme launched by the Central government, the Union Minister conducted public meeting cum grievances redressal camp at Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KV) Chenani, Udhampur.
During the camp, Block Development Council Chairman, Parkash Chand, President MC Chenani, Manik Gupta besides Sarpanchs and Panchs projected several demands and issues concerning their respective areas. The issues inter alia included sanctioning of ITI College at Chenani, the establishment of an Indoor stadium, sanctioning of a nursing college, the increase in the monthly honorarium of Anganwadi Workers, the establishment of Anganwadi centres in every ward, the construction of a road from Patnitop to Mantalai, land compensation, marketing of local products, shortage of staff in educational institutions, special package for block Chenani, regularization of daily wagers etcetera.
The Union Minister, while responding to the issues and demands, issued on-the-spot directions to the concerned officers for resolving the same at the earliest. She expressed satisfaction with the implementation of several government schemes in the district. She appreciated the district administration for ensuring the successful implementation of various development and welfare schemes in the district.
The Union Minister said that the Central government is committed to providing the benefit of all government schemes to the last man in the last row. Elaborating on several initiatives launched by the Central government, Smriti Irani said that Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) “SEHAT” scheme is the largest health insurance scheme which aims at providing a health cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization across public and private empanelled hospitals in India.
She highlighted other CSSs like Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi saying that ‘under this scheme, landholding farmer families, having cultivable land up to 2 hectares, are being provided direct financial support at the rate of Rs. 6,000 per year’. This income support is being transferred directly into their bank accounts in three equal instalments of Rs. 2,000.
On the occasion, various departments including Agriculture, Horticulture, Sports, Health, Animal Husbandry, Sheep Husbandry, Social Welfare, Handicraft and Handloom set up their awareness stalls.
The Union Minister visited and inspected the departmental stalls set up by these departments for disseminating information about their respective welfare and development schemes. She also interacted with the officers there and reviewed the progress of their schemes. She also distributed sports kits under Khelo India, presented Sehat cards under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, wheelchairs and mamta kits among the beneficiaries. Earlier, Smriti Irani planted trees on the premises of KV.
