KULGAM: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Transport, Science & Technology, Youth Services & Sports, and ARI & Trainings, Satish Sharma, who is also the Minister in-charge for Kulgam district, today visited the district and chaired a comprehensive district review meeting at Mini Secretariat here.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Education, Health & Social Welfare and MLA D.H Pora, Sakeena Itoo; MLA Kulgam M.Y. Tarigami, MLA Devsar Peerzada Feroz Ahmad Shah; Deputy Commissioner Kulgam, Athar Amir Khan; Director Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Owais Ahmed besides Directors from various departments, Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers, and other district officers.
Emphasizing on better coordination, effective implementation, and close monitoring of developmental works, the Minister directed officers to ensure timely completion of projects nearing final stages and dedicate them to the public at the earliest.
He instructed departments to expedite solar rooftop installations on shrines and government buildings, stressing that the government’s focus is on promoting green energy, sustainability, and organic development across sectors.
The Minister also reviewed the status of sports infrastructure and called for enhanced facilities to engage youth in sports and recreational activities.
Reviewing winter preparedness, Minister Satish Sharma took stock of the availability of essential supplies and directed KPDCL to ensure an uninterrupted and scheduled power supply during the winter season. He instructed the department to maintain an adequate buffer stock of transformers and transformer oil to meet seasonal demands.
During the meeting, Minister Sakeena Itoo directed concerned departments to intensify enforcement drives to curb the sale of spurious fertilizers and pesticides, and to commence work on all approved roads before the onset of winter.
During the deliberations, the MLAs urged for regular and quality water supply to the people and called for the early completion of the Brazloo Bridge to improve connectivity in the district.
They also raised the demand for an increase in AAY and BPL ration cards to benefit more deserving families and pressed for the establishment of a Controlled Atmosphere (CA) store for crop preservation.
MLA Kulgam, M.Y. Tarigami, urged SKUAST-K and the Horticulture Department to take immediate measures to control leaf miner infestation, ensuring that farmers do not suffer losses in next season.
Addressing concerns regarding the leaf miner disease affecting crops, Minister Satish Sharma instructed the concerned departments to provide timely assistance, technical guidance, and preventive support to farmers.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive development, Minister Satish Sharma said the government is committed to ensuring that all people-centric schemes are implemented effectively, with a strong focus on green energy, organic growth, and transparency at the grassroots level.
During the meeting, Deputy Commissioner Kulgam, Athar Aamir Khan gave a detailed PowerPoint presentation on the developmental profile of the district and briefed the meeting about the implementation status of key schemes and programmes, including District Capex, PMAY-U, PMAY-G, Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), ISSS, RDSS, PM Surya Ghar, and other flagship initiatives.
The DC informed that the Veshow River, being a ferocious river, has caused erosion and inundation in several areas during recent floods, resulting in extensive damage to agricultural and horticultural crops.
He also apprised the Ministers about measures taken for the restoration of damaged roads and bridges.
