Minister for Rural Development, Abdul Haq Khan today reviewed the progress of various developmental works taken up by the Rural Development Department in Budgam district. The Minister took the block-wise review of developental works being carried out under schemes including MGNREGA, NRLM, SBM, Rural Sanitation and IWMP. At the outset, the Minister was informed that the department has achieved the target of 99 percent of development works during the ongoing 2017-18 financial year across the Budgam district. During the meeting, it was revealed that the department has generated 763000 as person days work for the unemployed of the district so far under MGNREGA, while as the target was 600000 person days for the first quarter. Under the physical target, it was also revealed that 4204 works have been taken up out of which target of 2619 works has been completed during the current fiscal by the department.Officials also informed that out of the Rs 16.89 crore annual budget, the department has spent Rs 16.74 crore on the development works in the district so far. Under PMAY scheme, 265 beneficiaries have been allotted Rs 1.32 crore in the first allotment for the construction of houses.
The Minister directed the concerned officials to accelerate works under the rural sanitation and 14th financial commission.He said that Jammu and Kashmir was ahead of other states in the development work carried under various schemes of the department.However, Minister stressed on the construction of Water Harvesting Tanks to raise the water level in hilly areas during dry spells from the next revised MGNREGA plan.He directed the ACD Budgam to ensure that there are no shortfalls in the execution of the works and in case of delinquency the responsibility should be fixed and the erring concerned be taken to task. The Minister also urged DDC Budgam to facilitate and to ensure synergy between related departments.The Minister urged the concerned to conduct fresh survey about the implementation of Open Defecation Free (ODF) scheme in the district. He also urged the authorities to leverage social media to reach out to the public highlighting their performance and achievement. While lauding the role of staff, over the construction of a bridge at an estimated cost of Rs 4 lakh in Nagam block, Minister announced special award for the Sajad Ahmad as Technical Assistant for his tremendous work on the project.DDC Budgam, Mohammad Haroon Malik, SSP Budgam Tajindhar Singh, Director RDD Gazanffar Ali, ACD Budgam Fayaz Ahmad and other officers were also present on the occasion.