Rajouri, Feb 21: Principal Secretary Finance, Santosh Dattatreya Vaidya on Wednesday said the primary objective of holding public outreach camps is to bridge the gap between the public and the government. He said these camps serve as a platform to engage with the public directly, listen to their concerns and gather feedback on various government schemes and initiatives.
“By establishing direct communication channels with the public, the government aims to create a more inclusive and participatory governance system. This enables the government to understand the needs and aspirations of the people and make the policy decisions as per needs and aspirations of the public at large” Vaidya said while presiding over a public outreach camp at Moughla block in Rajouri district.
He urged the public to take advantage of various government schemes like Ayushman Bharat meant for their welfare. He emphasized the importance of the government’s holistic agriculture development program in raising the living standards of farmers.
Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Om Prakash Bhagat and other senior officers of different departments were present on the occasion. The camp witnessed a significant turnout of residents from Moughla and adjoining parts who projected their issues and concerns and sought speedy redressal. Santosh assured the people that their concerns would be given careful consideration and appropriate action would be taken to address them effectively.
Several issues were brought to the notice of the Principal Secretary during the event. The Principal Secretary inspected the stalls established by various departments, highlighting their respective schemes and initiatives being implemented for the welfare and development of the common masses.
Regarding the repair of old handpumps, the Principal Secretary directed the concerned officers from the Jal Shakti department to take effective measures to address this issue on priority.
The Principal Secretary highlighted the development projects and initiatives undertaken by the government in Jammu and Kashmir with emphasis on infrastructure, health, housing and education. He highlighted that the strenuous efforts of the National Highways Authority of India and the Public Works department have led to vast improvements in road connectivity and lowering of travel times in the region. The NHPC and Power Development department are executing several ambitious projects which will double the hydropower capacity by 2026, he added.
The Principal Secretary highlighted the achievements of the government in tripling the tap water connections from about 5 lakh to over 14 lakh from 2018 to 2023, which has alleviated the drudgery of a large number of households. He also stressed the rapid upscaling of rural housing by the Rural Development department under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
The Principal Secretary further spoke about the transformative developments in the health sector, such as the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) Sehat scheme, which has provided fully free and comprehensive health cover to the entire population of J&K.
Santosh touched upon the major initiatives of the Education and Social Welfare departments for early childhood education and nutrition. He said the UT government is committed towards accelerated and inclusive development. Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner highlighted the achievements registered under various schemes being implemented by different departments in the district.
