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| RDD witnessing tangible transformation; Focused strategies, targeted implementation giving flip to rural infrastructure |
679 bridges, 2283 culverts, 31337 roads, 561 playfields constructed in 3
yrs
JAMMU, JANUARY 18: Minister
for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Law and Justice Abdul Haq Khan today
said the government is committed to strengthen the democracy at grassroots
level by holding Panchayat elections.
“All
arrangements are being put in place to ensure smooth conduct of the polls and
the formal notification in this regard will be issued soon by the competent
authority,” the Minister said while winding up the debate on the Demand for Grants
of the Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and allied Departments in the
Legislative Assembly today.
The Minister enumerated in detail the achievements of Rural Development
department during the past three years and outlined the future plans of the
Department.
He said the department has laid a network of roads, bridges and culverts
in the state under MGNREGA scheme that has changed the socio-economic status of
the rural populace.
Stating that the improved implementation of RDD schemes has given flip
to the rural economy, Minister said the department has done tremendously well
in all facets of human endeavour and a silent revolution is taking place in
rural areas.
He said the coalition government under the dynamic leadership of Chief
Minister Mehbooba Mufti is relentlessly focusing on energizing rural economy as engine of growth
and that the government is uplifting rural poor through a number of key
initiatives related to rural housing & infrastructure, farm income, job
creation and entrepreneurship promotion.
Abdul Haq said since the launch of MGNREGA in the State, Rural
Development department has for the first time done some commendable works which
has been acknowledged at national level and has also won many awards in last
three years.
He said the department shunned its tradition of constructing lanes and
drains on political considerations and instead concentrated on building a
network of roads, culverts and other durable assets while providing job to lakhs of unemployed youths of the
state. He said the department has witnessed several changes during last three
years in its emphasis, approaches, strategies and programmes and has assumed a
new dimension and perspectives as a consequence rural development has been
richer and more meaningful only through the participation of people as people
are now actively participating in Gram Sabhas.
He said during the last three years department has set short terms
missions with an aim to create durable assets for the people of rural areas
while jobs are created under MGNREGA. He said though the prime aim of the
scheme is to create jobs but if simultaneously durable assets are created that
would be blessing for the area. Minister said the department
identified the rural connectivity a major issue in rural areas and hence took
up the task to focus on rural connectivity in first two years. He said the
department constructed 679 bridges, 2283 culverts, 31337 roads during past
three years that speaks volumes about the success of the implementation of this
scheme in rural J&K.
Minister said also took up the task to build sports infra in rural
areas to help youth to showcase their talent and in this regard the department
constructed 561 play fields. He said Government is making all out efforts to
promote sports activities in the State by providing requisite facilities to
youth.
He said the department is using the flagship program to generate
employment and creation of durable assets in rural areas of the state adding
that funds are utilized for creating productive assets in the rural areas
instead of squandering the same on unproductive works and focus is being laid
for improving connectivity in villages, flood protection works and creating
durable and useful assets for villages.
He said the department has also constructed 2696 ponds, 885 check dams
, 3617 water harvesting tanks , 561 play fields, 72 fisheries ponds, 55
Anganwari centres, renovation of 4622 traditional water bodies and 20143 micro
irrigation works while providing jobs to 23.90 lac persons.
He said the department had an available budget of Rs 2800.63 crores in
past three years out of which Rs 2458.31 crore have been spend. He said in
2017-18, Rs 819.80 crore has been spend out of the total available budget of Rs
1138.37 crore.
Minister said now when the department has been able to lay a web of
roads and culverts, the department will shift the focus to water conservation
and stress will be laid on the initiatives to conserve water. He said main
focus will be on water harvesting in Kandi areas including construction of
Water harvesting tanks, Check dams and other small dams in upper belts to
conserve the water.
The Minister also stated that the government is committed to strengthen
democracy at the grassroots level and he has directed the field officers to
organise Gram Sabhas so that people of the villages decide themselves about the
development works to be taken up in their village and not the contractors or
officials. He said the Gram Sabhas should play a vibrant role in effective
execution of the developmental programmes by taking advantage of the flagship
schemes like MGNREGA. Minister said he has directed officers to create
awareness among masses and persuade them to participate in Gram Sabhas so that
they can be part of the decision making process at the grassroot level.
He said he has also directed the officials to make the decisions of
Gram Sabhas public soon after its commencement that will ensure transparency in
plans and no work will be included without the approval of the Gram Sabhas.
Giving details about introduction of technology to monitor the assets,
the Minister said all the assets in the districts have been geo-tagged and is a
touchstone of transparency that will enforce better monitoring, recording and
management of development works at the cutting edge level.
He said to bring transparency and accountability in the system one
ombudsman will be shortly engaged for two districts in the state to look into
any complaints.
He said the Department achieved another milestone in the implementation
of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in
the State by adopting e-FMS. The system allows direct transfer of fund from
State Account to Job card holder’s Account, reducing human
intervention at bare minimum level, thereby considerably reducing delays in
wage payment.
Under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna, Minister said 15081 beneficiaries
have been registered while 9655 houses are under construction and Rs 52.82
crore have been spend so far out of the total available budget of Rs 123.94
crore. He said the department has also received Rs 26.60 crore for clearing the
liability of IAY.
While talking about the success of State Rural Livelihoods Missions’ Umeed
scheme, the minister said that the biggest success of UMEED scheme in the state
is that it has boosted the self esteem and self confidence of women folk
especially living in rural areas. He said the scheme has not only helped the
women to earn their livelihood and contribute in the family income but has also
boosted their morale, self esteem and self confidence so much
so that they are now actively participating in decision making process in
their villages.
Minister said currently that 2.08 lac women are associated with the
22270 Self Helf Groups formed under the scheme in 68 blocks of the state. He
said 206 Automatic Milk Collection Centres (AMC’s) established
under this scheme has recorded a turnover of Rs 6.67 crore since
2016-17 and has sold about 24.27 lac kilograms of milk. He said the AMCs are
managed and operated by the women associated with the SHGs and have registered
success in every intervention so far.
Abdul Haq further stated that JKSRLM has also been entrusted with the
responsibility of training and placing over 1.24 lakh JK youth with an
allocation of Rs 1,601.51 crore for a period of three years under Himayat
Scheme. He said so far 948 youths are undergoing Skill Development Training in
five training centres across the country while two new training centres will be
started in next two years. He said the government is bearing
all the financial expenses of the training including lodging, boarding,
transport and the fees of these trainees.
He said in this regard the department has received an amount of Rs
104.24 crores and has spent Rs 45.21 crore so far. He said an additional target
of 10790 individual will be allotted to five identified PIAs who had earlier
target of training 11952 youths.
He said Himayat is a skill development cum placement programme for
unemployed youth in J&K under the umbrella of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gramin
Koushalaya Yojna (DDU-GKY), Union Ministry of Rural Development with focus on
sustainable employment for rural poor youth
Under Swach Bharat Scheme the minister stated that there are 1075604
households without toilets while the department has covered 360411 households till the
end of year 2017 and has spent Rs 263 .35 crore out of the received
budget of Rs 350.62 crore.
He said Leh and Kargil has already been declared Open Defecation Free
(ODF) while 12 blocks and 146 Gram Panchayats have been declared ODF. He said
2210 Community Sanitary Complexes have also been completed so far under this
scheme.
Under Integrated Watershed Management Program (IWMP), minister said the
objective of the program is to conserve natural resources like soil and water,
improve the water table, restore the ecological balance, increase vegetation
cover and provide livelihood to asset-less people. He said
under the program the department has taken steps to conserve the runoff water
and soil by way of construction of rain water harvesting tanks, recharge pits,
percolation tanks, check dams, development of spring, farm ponds and bowlies
etc.
He said the department constructed 842 field channels , 875 Gabian/crate
structures, 1250 water harvesting tanks , 334 check dams, 1046
protection and retention walls, 166 water tanks and 418 bowlies and ponds
besides land levelling at 65 spots.
The House passed the grants amounting to Rs 312131.58 lakhs for
Nutrition, Special Programmes for Rural development, Other Rural Development Programmes,
Capital Outlay on the other Rural Development Programmes to defray the charges
which will come in course of payment during the year ending 31 March,
2019.
HIGHLIGHTS
Ø 23.90 lac persons provided wage employment
Ø 2.08 lac women from 68 blocks included
under UMEED scheme
Ø 206 Automatic Milk Collection Centres
established and maintained by Self Help Groups
Ø AMCCs recorded Rs 6.67 crore turnover, sold 24.27
LKGs of Milk
Ø JKSRLM entrusted to train 1.24 lakh youth under
Himayat Scheme
Ø Currently 948 youths undergoing training in 5
centres
Ø 360411 households covered under SBM so far
Ø Leh, Kargil, 12 blocks, 149 Panchayats
declared ODF
Ø 2210 Community Sanitary Complexes completed
Ø Under IWMP 6336 works executed in 3 years,
treated 6.53 lac hectares at Rs 979.72 crores
Ø Completed 842 Field Channels, 875 Gabian
Structures, 1250 Water Harvesting Tanks, 334 Check Dams, 166 Water Tanks and
418 Bowlies
Assets
Created under MGNREGA in 3 yrs
Foot Bridges: 697
Culverts: 2283
Roads: 31337
Ponds: 2696
Playfields: 561
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