SRINAGAR: Secretary, Rural Development Department and Panchayati Raj (RDD&PR), Mohammad Aijaz Asad, today conducted a comprehensive review of key rural development initiatives across the Union Territory, including the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G), status of Panchayat Ghars (PGs) and functionality of Panchayat Learning Centres (PLCs).
The meeting was attended by Director RDD Kashmir, Shabir Hussain Bhat; Director RDD Jammu, Mumtaz Ali; Director Panchayati Raj, Sham Lal; Joint Director Planning, Kamal Kumar Sharma; Superintending Engineer REW Jammu, Rajesh Kumar; Deputy Secretaries, Sheetal Pandita and Bilal Ahmad; OSD to Secretary, Shafiq Ahmad besides all Assistant Commissioners Development (ACDs), ACPs and Executive Engineers from both the divisions.
During the review, the Secretary held detailed discussions with the ACPs regarding the construction status of Panchayat Ghars with emphasis on land availability, tendering delays and completion rates. He directed for immediate resolution of land identification issues, asking the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to personally intervene in the cases where land acquisition hurdles remain unresolved.
Regarding the abandoned and incomplete Panchayat Ghars, the Secretary instructed both the Directors of RDD to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the same. He asked them to collect details like a number of abandoned or stalled structures, the status of physical work executed, funds utilized and additional financial requirements for work completion. He directed that the report, in this regard, be submitted within one week to enable further action under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).
The Secretary emphasized the integration of old structures with newly approved design standards, in order to optimise resource use and ensure functionality.
Reviewing the status of PLCs, the Secretary instructed the field officials to ensure that all PLCs are made fully functional within a week’s time. He also asked the concerned to ensure that any logistical or staffing gaps are addressed without delay.
Regarding the implementation of PMAY-G, the Secretary emphasized the timely completion of pending houses, rigorous monitoring and accuracy of beneficiary data. He reviewed the cumulative physical and financial progress under the scheme, including updates from the ongoing Awaas Plus Survey. He directed all the ACDs to ensure expeditious completion of the pending houses, besides clearing all Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) cases by releasing pending instalments to the eligible beneficiaries immediately
The Secretary underscored the importance of ensuring transparency and rationality in the Awaas Plus survey to ensure no eligible household is left out. He instructed both the Directors of RDD to effectively monitor the field activities and maintain regular communication with the block and village level teams for the smooth implementation of the crucial schemes.
