Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Abdul HaqTuesday said Panchayats are an interface between government and the public and can play a major role to bridge the communication gap between the two.The Minister said this while inaugurating 31st Public Information Campaign organized by Press Information Bureau, Srinagar in coordination with DFP, S&DD, AIR, DD & District Administration at Mini Sports Stadium, Uri. The Minister said public information campaigns help in bridging communication gap between government and people and in creating awareness among them with regard to various state and centrally sponsored schemes and programmes.The Minister said a Panchayat is an interface between government and the people through which knowledge regarding various government programs can be communicated to masses. Panchs and Sarpanchs can play an important role in this endeavor in their respective villages, he added.Abdul Haq said there are large number of schemes meant for welfare and economic development of the people, however due to lack of awareness people are not able to avail benefit of such schemes.
Minister said knowledge with regard to the said schemes should reach the people in a way they are able to avail benefit from these. He also stressed on departments to redouble their efforts to promote information, education and communication (IEC) campaign as a continuous process. "The departments need to develop good rapport with the people and make use of both conventional and non-conventional means to spread awareness among them regarding the schemes," he added.Speaking on the occasion, he thanked PIB Srinagar for organizing such a campaign. He said such type of public information campaigns should be organized regularly, so that people are informed about various welfare schemes.He said that revolutionary achievements have been made in Rural Development and other sectors through various centrally sponsored schemes like PMGSY, MGNREGA, IAY, SSA and NRHM but still more needs to be done.
The Minister was accompanied by ADC Baramulla, SDM Uri, Assistant Director (M&C) PIB Srinagar, other officers. Later, the Minister also visited as many as 40 stalls that were put up by various State and Central government departments, PSUs & NGOs at the venue to showcase their programmes, schemes, achievements and services.On the occasion, the resource persons interacted with people and spoke on various flagship and rural development package themes like MGNREGA, NHM, IAY, SSA, Mid Day Meal Scheme, ICDS, PMGSY, RTI Act & Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for Welfare of Minorities besides latest Social Security Schemes viz Beti Bachao Beti Padao & Swach Bharat.The Minister also held a public meeting at Boniyar and interacted with people in the area. The locals apprised the Minister about various problems. The Minister was accompanied by various officials and local representatives on the occasion.