JAMMU: Administrative Secretary Tribal Affairs Department and Chief Executive Officer Mission Youth J&K , Dr Shahid Choudhary, discussed the roadmap for fast-tracking developmental projects and new initiatives by the department.
Projects were reviewed in a meeting of officers held today.
Deliberations were held on the establishment of Model Residential Schools in tribal areas, creation of posts and filling vacancies to strengthen the department for efficient functioning, developing portal for scholarship disbursement and real-time online monitoring, e-office, new projects , educational plan and Forest Rights Act implementation.
The department intends to operate and make functional 4 Model Residential Schools in make-shift facilities and filling up of posts has been taken up with National Testing Agency for which notification has been issued. Meanwhile, apart from fast-tracking work on buildings of these schools the department is exploring more areas to be covered with residential schools and hostels this year.
Dr Shahid asked the department to develop a portal for the enrolment of students and the disbursement of scholarships in a timely and transparent manner. The student details will be registered on the portal and authenticated by institutions to reduce the delays. Department will frame and notify rules in this context. He also appealed the student community to avail the doctoral and research fellowships including the overseas scholarship of Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt of India.
Meanwhile, the department is working on proposal for creation of new posts including for administrative units and hostels, recruitment to fill vacancies and other arrangements to fill the shortage of professional manpower. Sixteen posts have been referred to Service Selection Board meanwhile the department has taken up proposal for filling up of the posts of District Tribal Welfare Officers and upgradation of Tribal Welfare Officers posts, it was informed.
In view of specific requirements of targeted beneficiary groups the departments is developing a template for standard DPRs to be formulated for Cluster Tribal Model Villages and Milk Villages under supervision of District Development Commissioners with active involvement of PRIs.
The meeting also discussed the requirements to facilitate the nomadic migratory population with health, education and welfare schemes among others apart from providing logistics support. It also deliberated on key focus on education and livelihood opportunities as well as skill development projects for the community. Employment-linked skill development courses for students are under formulation. Identification of areas for establishment of residential hostels for both boys and girl students will be prioritised by the department in current year to give boost to educational quest of students.
The department is also considering institution of awards for meritorious members of community in various fields viz Education, Research, Medicine, Social Service, Entrepreneurship, Women Empowerment, Girl Child Education and other initiatives, to encourage voluntary services and recognise outstanding efforts for socio-economic development of community.
