Minister for Tourism Tassaduq Hussain Mufti today directed the officers to ensure proper assessment of growing challenges and future utility and sustainability of developmental projects is taken into consideration before formulation and finalization of projects.He said real-time mapping of the projects and impact analysis should be conducted by the concerned departments to study their efficacy.This was stated by the Minister at the annual meeting of District Development Board (DDB) Poonch held here today. The Board unanimously approved the annual plan of Rs 181.33 crore for the district for the year 2018-19.Vice Chairman State Advisory Board for development of Pahari Speaking People, Kuldeep Raj Gupta; VC SAB for development of Gujjars and Bakerwals, Gulzar Khatana; VC SAB for development of OBC, Rashpal Verma; VC SAB for development of SC Bushan Lal Dogra; VC SAB for development of Kissan Daljeet Singh Chib; Legislators, Shah Mohammad Tantray, Javid Ahmad Rana, Mohammad Akram Choudhary, Pradeep Sharma, Shahnaz Ganai and Yashpal Sharma, DDC Mohammad Aijaz Asad, Heads of various Departments and district officers were present in the meeting.
The Minister, who is also the chairman DDB Poonch, impressed upon the concerned to the design the course and adopt suitable pedagogy as per the learning needs and mental capacities of the students and provide supplementary material wherever required to provide quality education especially at the elementary level.He said a comprehensive plan should be chalked out involving all stakeholders such as parents, educationists, academicians and NGOs to improve the education scenario in the state. He stressed for to adopt creative teaching/study techniques and the inclusion of cultural and moral part in the education system.Regarding issue shortage of specialist, medical officers and paramedics, the Director Health Services briefed the meeting that shortfall of Medical Officers will be overcome as the recruitment process of 300 Medical officers is completed and 15 vacancies under NHM shall also be filled shortly.It was decided that a comprehensive plan will be prepared and submitted to the government for facilitating the medical officers serving in rural areas. The board decided that the building of SDH Mandi shall be handed over to Health Department by July 2018 and submission of detailed report for the unwarranted delay in non-completion of ISM dispensary building at Khanetar by the DDC.
The chairman directed the CMO to prepare a detailed plan for waste management of District Hospital, Sub-District hospital and PHCs. Directions were also given for expediting the land identification process for Trauma Hospital at Chandimarh and start of construction work at earliest.In view of prevailing drought situation, Mufti stressed for construction of water harvesting infrastructure in convergence mode by RDD, IWMP, Agriculture and PHE departments for the conservation of water apart from special thrust on afforestation and reforestation by forest and social forestry departments.Many important road projects also came up for discussions. The board decided that a high-level interdepartmental committee shall be constituted to investigate the non-completion of Rs 7.25 crore Kalai-SakhiMaidan road project and the poor quality of work.The DDB also recommended the creation of receiving station from 400 KV Jalandhar-Jammu-Kashmir Power Line to meet out the power shortfall in the district and waiving off registration fee of Rs 5 lakh for traders at Chakan Da Bagh to give a fillip to the trade activities.The chairman directed the officers to implement the decisions taken in the board meeting in letter and spirit and submit action taken reports on fortnightly basis to concerned legislators and the District Development Commissioner.
He called for better coordination between various departments, besides effective monitoring for time-bound completion of projects.On the occasion, legislators raised various developmental issues vis-a-vis up-gradation of road infrastructure, placement of sufficient staff in education and health institutions and their up-gradation as per the population they cater, provision of ambulances, electrification and road connectivity of left out villages, making available safe drinking water in rural areas besides completion of ongoing schemes under various sectors.Earlier, DDC Poonch Mohammad Aijaz Asad made a detailed presentation on the physical and financial achievement of all departments under CAPEX budget 2017-18 and status of decisions taken in the previous Board meeting.He informed that the district has made an expenditure of Rs 130.09 crore with 98.23% financial achievements.