Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (Village Self Governance Campaign) began in Rajouri with the celebrations of Social Justice Day coinciding Ambedkar’s Jayanti on first day, in an impressive function organized in Dak Bungalow, Rajouri.Gram Swaraj Abhiyan aims to promote social harmony among the villagers, connect to poor rural households, gain feedback on government’s programmes, focus on doubling farmers’ income, improving livelihood opportunities, and strengthening Panchayati Raj institutions.District Development Commissioner Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary was the chief guest on the occasion. Among others PO ICDS Abdul Rashid, DSWO Abdul Khabir, CDPOs Auqil Nuvaid, Najma Nazki and Khalil Ahmed, prominent citizens, members of Press Club Rajouri, prominent citizens, media persons, social activists, Anganwari workers and helpers and officials of Rural Development and other concerned departments attended the function.Speaking on the occasion, the DDC said the social justice is based on the values of fairness, equality, respect for diversity, access to social protection, and the application of human rights in all spheres of life besides equal access to economic resources and employment avenues. He added the inclusiveness in development can’t be envisaged without social justice.He emphasized upon the participants to become an instrument to take Gram Swaraj Abhiyan to grassroots level and aware the rural masses about benefits entailed in various government schemes and programmes.
Dr Shahid informed that during the campaign of GSA, the authorities aim to cover more than 10,000 beneficiaries under various schemes including connections under Ujjwala Yojana, health related schemes, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and various other central schemes.PO ICDS, DSWO and CDPOs also highlighted the importance of social justice in strengthening social fabrics of a nation.On the occasion, the speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also telecasted live and IEC material was distributed among the participants. Similar programmes were also organized in all CD-Blocks of the district with support of local administration.In Samba, the district administration organized a district level programme on Social Justice Day to mark the birth anniversary of Dr Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar. Multifarious activities under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme were launched by the District Development Commissioner Rajinder Singh Tara in a mega awareness camp held at Vijaypur.Social Justice Day is a part of series of programmes to be held under Gram Swaraj Abhiyan which is being celebrated throughout the country from April 14 to May 5, 2018.The programme was organized by ICDS and included various activities like weighing of young infants by Anganwari workers and health check-up of girls by Health Department.During the programme, the DC samba distributed wheel chairs and hearing aids to differently abled people. 100 beneficiaries were given passbooks under Laadli Beti scheme.
On the occasion, the DC directed ACD Aijaz Qaiser, nodal officer of Gram Swaraj celebrations in the distrct, to devise monitoring mechanism for quantifying the number of beneficiaries on daily basis. All the concerned were directed to ensure that maximum people are made aware of the government sponsored schemes during the programmes to be held as a part of Gram Swaraj Abhiyan in the district.He also directed departments including Health, Education, RDD, FCS&CA, Agriculture and NRLM to ensure door to door outreach of schemes including free LPG connections, electricity supply, Jan Dhan accounts, two PM Insurance schemes and the immunisation of children with objective to ensure total coverage and saturation in 13 identified villages within 21 days along with focus on all other villages of the district for generating awareness that will ensure success of this Abhiyan.The event also included Nukkad Natak by Song and Drama Division and speeches on the topic “Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: Life and Contributions to the Nation” that saw participation of students from educational institutions, along with keynote address on Ladli Beti scheme, Kishori Shakti Yojana by District Programme officer Jyoti Salathia.
Among others, the programme was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Tilak Raj Sharma, Assistant Commissioner Development Aijaz Qaiser, Executive Engineers PHE, PWD, CEO and others.In Ramban, the Health Department in collaboration with RDD, Education and other departments organized awareness programmes and debate competition on “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” at Government High School, Doligam.District Development Commissioner Ramban, Tariq Hussain Ganai was the chief guest on the occasion.Similar awareness programmes on “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” were also organized at Government Higher Secondary School Ramban, Government Higher Secondary School Batote and Government High School Ukhral.Chief Medical Officer Ramban Dr. Saif-Ud-Din Khan, ACD GH Kripak, DPO Tariq Sourawardy and officers of Education department and school staff besides students and locals participated in the programmes.Earlier, an awareness rally was flagged off from the school and passed through the market then culminated at school premises.Speaking on the occasion, the DDC stressed to sensitize the society about the female feticide, as it was resulting in decreasing girl population. It was also said, the state government has launched various schemes aimed at motivating parents not to differentiate between male and female child since both are equally important to maintain the social system and equalize the sex ratio.