Advisor to the Governor, Khurshid Ahmed Ganai has asked the officers to achieve the targets set under various Rural Development Schemes within the stipulated time frame to ensure requisite benefits reach the targeted populace.The Advisor was addressing officers of Rural Development Department during a review-cum-interactive meeting held here today. Secretary Rural Development Department, Mr. Khurshid Ahmed Shah, Director Rural Development Jammu, Mr. M. L. Raina, CEO IWMP, Mr. Bashir Ahmed Khan, Director Panchayati Raj, Mr. R. K. Bhat, Member Secretary MGNREGA, Mr. K. K. Sidha, Joint Director Planning, ACDs, Xens, DPOs, POs, IWMP and other senior officers of Jammu division were present in the meeting. Ganai asked the officers to ensure that the schemes are implemented in a transparent manner and in accordance with the set guidelines. He said that there should be no deviation from the procedures to be adopted and the local representatives of the areas should also be consulted during implementation of these schemes.
The Advisor also stressed on putting in place an online grievance redressal system at block, district and state level for convenience of the people. He said that an effective mechanism should also be devised for quick and timely disposal of the problems (grievances) being faced by the people of the state especially those living in rural and far-flung areas.Mr. Ganai asked Secretary RDD to expedite the release of funds so that the pace of works gets accelerated and new projects are also taken up. He said that the requisite process for ensuring the release of pending funds from the Centre should also be initiated.While directing the ACDs of Kathua, Samba, Kishtwar, Doda, Udhampur, Poonch, Rajouri and Ramban to undertake regular tours of the far-flung areas in their respective districts, Mr. Ganai said that this would help them in getting first hand information about implementation status of various schemes and also help them receive requisite feedback from the people of the area.
The Advisor also asked the officers to speed up the implementation of various RDD schemes like MGNREGA, IAY and IWMP, maintaining that they have been instrumental in changing the rural landscape of the state by way of asset creation, providing employment avenues and also giving the much needed housing facilities to the needy people.Gania said that the implementation of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan should also be expedited as the scheme has tremendous potential of providing clean and pollution free environs in the rural areas. The scheme is being personally monitored by the Prime Minister and the mission should be monitored so that envisaged goals are achieved at the earliest, he added. While reviewing the progress of MGNREGA in the state, the Advisor was informed that an amount of Rs. 590 crore has been expended under the scheme in the state. Similarly, he was told that an amount of Rs. 37.65 crore has been spent under IAY upto December 2015 while as Rs. 22.22 crore has been spent under IWMP till date.