Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali today took a detailed review of the implementation of developmental schemes in the border district Poonch and Mendhar tehsil.The main focus of meeting was to further streamline the implementation of various developmental schemes and discuss the pace of distribution of food grains under NAFSA, MMSFES and PMUY in the district.Present in the meeting were MLA Haveli Shah Mohd Tantray, MLA Surankote Chowdhary Mohammad Akram ,DDC Poonch Mohmmad Harun Malik, SSP Poonch J.S. Johar, ACR Ashraf Chowdhary Assistant Director Food, Civil Supplies and consumers affairs , Executive engineers of PWD,PDD,PHE,PMGSY besides all other district heads and tehsil heads.Underlining the importance of effective mechanism for implementation of schemes and projects, he said the government is committed to inclusive and equitable development of all the region of the state particularly rural districts like Poonch. He said Poonch deserves to be developed as ‘gateway’ of the state, country as well as for the central Asia adding this was the dream of late Mufti Mohammad Sayed.He said the contribution of Mufti Sahab towards changing the developmental scenario of Peer Panchal would be remembered for long time to come.While discussing overall status of various development schemes in the district, he was informed that under the budget allocation of Rs 1.78 crore Rs 55 cr have been released so far of which Rs 43 cr. have been spent which is seventy eight percent of total available funds.While apprising the Minister about the status of major projects taken up in the district, the District Development Commissioner Poonch Mohammad Harun Malik said that additional funds are required to accelerate the work on Mini Secretariat building at Mendhar and Phagla - Mandi road.
The meeting also discussed the damages caused to Mini secretariat building in Poonch and restoration of 132 KV grid lines.The Minister said that a meeting would be convened in Jammu soon for resolving the important issues of the district on priority basis.Stressing for optimum use of available resources for desirable results, the Minister said that the districts will be provided additional funds if they achieve hundred percent expenditure against the available funds.He directed the concerned officers to prepare detailed reports and submit the same so that the projects of utmost importance can be completed for the betterment of the common masses.Appreciating the natural beauty and huge tourism potential of the district, the Minister asked the tourism department to explore and identify the potential locations and take all necessary measures to develop these as attractive tourist destinations. He further said that government has prepared a plan to develop seven famous lakes in Poonch very soon which would augment and boost the tourism potential in the district.Taking serious view of the dilapidated conditions of Thannamandi to Buffliaz road, the Minister directed the Border Road Organization to start the repair work at the earliest.
The Minister also reviewed constituency wise distribution of food grains under NAFSA, MMSFES besides implementation of PMUY. He also took stock of allocation of foods and stock position in the different constituency of the district.While reviewing implementation of NAFSA, MMSFES and PMUY, the Minister set November 2016 as deadline for covering all the registered beneficiaries.Highlighting the importance of PMUY, the Minister said that it is very important program for the welfare of poor masses and informed that all the left over beneficiaries would be covered under (PMUY+) by the end of December 2018.He directed the concerned officers to work in tandem with local legislators for the better implementation of the PMUY scheme. The Minister enquired about price fixation committee in the district and called for its regular meetings. He directed the administration to recommend the name of three lawyers for the establishment of fully fledged consumer court in the district to check anti-consumer practices.The Minister also expressed concern over the plight of locals due to heavy shelling along LOC.Later the Minister visited the shelling affected LoC areas in Mendhar and interacted with effected families. He also took on the spot stock of the measures put in place by the administration to provide necessary relief to the affected people.The Minister also provided financial assistance of Rs five thousand to twelve persons who received minor injuries during the recent shelling. He also assured that Rs five lakh would be provided to next of the kin of those who lost their life in cross Loc shelling.