Secretary, Public Health Engineering (PHE), Sanjiv Verma, convened a meeting of Water and Sanitation Support Organisation (WSSO), PHE & Information, Education and Communication (IEC), here today.The meeting, which was attended by Director Information, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Chief Engineer, Kashmir, G. M. Bhat, Chief Engineer, Jammu, Sushil Ama, Executive Director, Rajiv Malhotra among other officials of Communication & Capacity Development Unit (CCDU) and PHE, approved the Annual Action Plan (AAP) 2016-17 under Support Activities (IEC & HRD).The meeting was the 10th State Level Scheme Sanctioning Committee meeting and approved Rs. 12.82 cr. AAP for 2016-17 for carrying out IEC & HRD activities (or Support Activities) in the state. It includes Rs. 5.23.crore for IEC, 7. 11crore for HRD and 47.00 lacs for Establishment.The meeting was informed that the AAP 2016-17 includes IEC activities Plan, Capacity Building Plan for PRI & Village Water Sanitation Committee (VWSC) members, linkage of Health with Water & Sanitation, training of PRIs and Community Members empowering in planning, monitoring and managing in-village Rural Water Supply, water quality testing and monitoring, professional development of engineers and technical staff, and training of gras-root level workers, like pump operators and plumbers.
Giving details about the HRD plan, which includes trainings across the spectrum, the meeting was informed that 1784 Village Water Sanitation Committees (VWSC) with 8920 members will be trained (through 357 trainings). This is besides the Refresher Training for 758 VWSC committees with 3790 members.It also includes Pilot Project under which 2 villages are to be selected from each district as pilot villages where VWSC shall be prepared for Water Security Plan.The plan further includes conducting of 1500 Gram Sabhas in 22 districts, wherein 100 persons shall be trained per Gram Sabha besides Refresher Training for 1389 Gram Sabhas, in which 100 persons shall also be trained per Gram Sabha.Besides 296 grass root workers, including 2 per block, the plan also approves that the number of engineers to be trained within and outside the state include 66 each, including 3 persons per district in the categories. It also includes State Level trainings for 300 persons.
The IEC plan, on the other hand, includes mass media programmes, new media programmes, mid-media activities, reminder media activities, advocacy workshops, social mobilization, print media programmes, awards, IEC in schools, IEC gadgets and others.The meeting decided that the Support Activities shall be organised by the VWSC under the active coordination of JEs. It shall maintain a close contact with DCs at district and block levels for securing coordination for efficacy of the programmes.It was also decided in the meeting that the mass media, print media and new media programmes will be rooted through the Department of Information and Public Relations for their further efficacy and transparency.The meeting also approved hiring of resource persons as well as filling of the Consultant HRD post as per prescribed guidelines of the department.The AAP is to go through three tiers to ensure transparency, oversight and execution of the plan, the meeting was informed. The final report of the plan was submitted to and endorsed by the Chief Engineer.