Minister of State for Health Shabir Ahmad Khan has said that the government has sanctioned construction of two road projects of Rs. 5 crore to connect the villages Badi Bhehik and Kundan with Shadara Sharief. He said the construction work of these projects would be taken up soon after completion of all necessary formalities.
Addressing public meetings today at Kundan and Bagla Rajdani, the Minister said that the government is abreast that road connectivity is pivotal for socio- economic transformation of the hilly and border areas and has started massive road connectivity and upgradation across the State with focused attention towards un-connected areas. He said during last over 4 years, construction work of dozens of new road projects have been completed in Rajouri district, while as the execution of number of road projects are apace in the area , which would be completed in stipulated time frame.
Shabir said that Shahdara Sharief village is being developed as modal village at a cost of Rs 4.67 crore, adding that Rs 1.82 crore have been expended for upgrading several facilities in the village under the project so far. He said Thanamandi, Bagla is being also linked via Rajdani by constructing 8 kms road at a cost of Rs 5.50 crore, adding that earth filling of the road have been completed and further work is in progress for its timely completion.
The Minister said that Rajouri is rich in varied tourism potential and the government is endeavoring to tap it fully by creating tourist related infrastructure and development of serene spots along the historical Mughal road and pilgrim sites in the district. He said work on an eco-tourism project at Dera-ki-Gali have been already taken up at a cost of Rs 9.20 crore and so far Rs 2.25 crore have been expended on creation of infrastructure in the area.Shabir said that pilgrim tourist influx is rising in the area due to opening of Mughal road and to provide added facilities to the pilgrims at Zairat Shadara, a Bait-ul-Zairen complex is under construction at a cost of Rs 5.50 crore at Shadara Sharief. He said additional accommodation for TRC at the site is also being upgraded at a cost of Rs 52 lakh for convenience of visiting tourists.The Minister said that reaching out to every area is the guiding principle in the development process launched by the government across the State aiming at equitable and all round development of all the regions and sub-regions of the State. He said special focus is on the fast track development of remote and backward pockets of the State besides weaker sections of the society.
Shabir said that public empowerment to ensure area specific development and involve peoples’ representation in decision making at grass roots level through Panchayat Raj system has already began. “We have conducted Panchayat elections after a period of about 30 years”, he said and added that the government has empowered these ground level institutions so that these are able to make decisions and launch public welfare schemes in their areas.The Minister apprised the people about the historic Public Service Guarantee Act enacted and implemented by the government to make public service delivery time bound. He told the people that if they will not receive the prescribed service within the prescribed time limit, the erring officials will be fined up to Rs. 5000 and a part of that fine is paid to the affected consumer.
Shabir asked the people to take best advantage of this path breaking initiative of the government and demand public service from the departments of Power, PHE, CAPD, Revenue, Housing, Transport, etc. in a prescribed time limit fixed for the delivery of each service.