District Development Commissioner Bandipora Shahbaz Ahmad Mirza on Saturday formally launched first of its kind Panchayat Development Index (PDI) index aiming to capture movement in development at grass root level and to observe the impact of centrally sponsored schemes at Panchayat level. The Index was formally launched in a day-long Orientation seminar held in Bandipora. Eminent Economist and Ex Director General Economics and Statistics GA Qureshi was the guest of honor at the seminar while Joint director Planning Imtiyaz Ahmad, District Officers, PRI Functionaries, Media fraternity and University scholars also attended.Speaking on the occasion Deputy Commissioner Bandipora said that the Panchayat Development Index is the first of its kind index in J&K and has been prepared after detailed discussions with line departments.
Lauding the efforts of Joint Director Planning Imtiyaz Ahmad and his team for the pioneering work, DC Bandipora said the index is applicable to all Panchayats across the country and is believed to prove a vital tool for rapid transformation of Panchayats. He said the index will capture movement in Development at grass root level and will also evaluate impact of centrally sponsored schemes in Panchayats.
While elaborating the PDI, he said there are 81 outcome indicators spread over six thematic areas of Health and Nutrition, Education, Agriculture and allied sectors, Skill and Self Employment, Financial inclusion and Basic infrastructure.He said the Project has been segmented into two phases’ including preparation and launch of index and making of online Dashboard for data entry and analytical reporting.DC Bandipora said the Phase-I has been completed and work on Phase-II is in progress and a technical team has been entrusted with the job of online Dashboard preparation.DDC said the administration will ensure capacity building of BDC chairpersons and Sarpanchs by sensitizing them about the key areas of development including health, education, agriculture and skill.On the occasion Joint Director Planning gave a detailed power point presentation highlighting the objectives of the PDI.Ex Director General Economics and Statistics GA Qureshi while speaking on the occasion said strengthening of Panchayats will ensure overall development of the country.DDC Bandipora also released ‘Jal Jeevan Mission Census report of 2019’. The analytical report of Jal Jeevan Mission provides complete details of Households with and without Functional Water Tap connections, which will provide all vital statistical inputs that are prerequisite for proper planning, execution and monitoring of PHE Schemes.The DDC asked the PHE Department to provide functional Household Tap Connections to unconnected 13778 Households of Bandipora District.