CS takes serious note, directs for strict compliance
Slackness despite explicit directives of Lt Governor
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 18: Even after explicit directions from the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Secretary, sharp decline has been witnessed in putting feed-back of the officers obtained during the 3rd phase of Back-to-Village (B2V) on the portal, which otherwise is imperative to keep the people abreast about the works to be taken up under the ambitious and extensive programme of the Government.
As per the guidelines of the Back to Village (Governance at Doorstep) programme of the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the civil servants reach out to each Panchayat where they stay for a specific period to interact and obtain feedback from the grassroots so as to tailor Government efforts in improving delivery of village-specific services.
The visiting officers also assess the development related requirements of the people and thereafter they submit the same in the properly devised format to the concerned District Administration.
On the receipt of feed-back from the visiting officers, the District Administration is supposed to put the same on the Back-to-Village portal for the information of the people. The objective behind this exercise is to ensure that people have a say in the development process in their areas.
At the time of launch of this ambitious and extensive programme of the Government, explicit directions were issued to all the Deputy Commissioners to ensure strict and timely compliance to the provision vis-a-vis punching of visiting officers’ feedback on the B2V portal.
Even the Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of J&K Manoj Sinha while reviewing the progress made under the Back to Village programme in the month of August last year had laid emphasis on updating B2V works on the web portal for the information of the public. Moreover, Chief Secretary from time to time laid emphasis on strict adherence to the guidelines.
“Though receipt of feed-back of works on Back to Village portal was completed in respect of two phases yet this mandatory exercise has not been completed by most of the Deputy Commissioners for the third phase which concluded in the recent past”, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
In the recent meeting of the Committee of Secretaries, the Chief Secretary observed, “receipt of feedback of works on Back to Village portal has witnessed a decline and low performance on the part of District Administrations, they informed.
“While taking serious note of this, the Chief Secretary has directed the Administrative Secretaries of Information and Public Relations, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and Planning, Development and Monitoring Departments to chair a video-conference meeting with the Deputy Commissioners to take a review and ensure that this mandatory exercise is completed at the earliest”, sources said.
“Since the Back to Village programme is aimed to involve the people of J&K and Government officials in a joint effort to deliver the mission of equitable development and energize the Panchayats besides directing development efforts in rural areas through community participation, each and every officer is required to ensure strict compliance to the guidelines otherwise the purpose of Governance at Doorstep will get defeated”, they further said.
“It is hoped that guidelines will be strictly followed to ensure that developmental initiatives are built on the feed-back and cooperation of the people thus being more result oriented with greater probability of success”, sources said.
The Back to Village programme revolves around the concept that while the official machinery has to guide and assist, the primary responsibility to improve local conditions rests with the people themselves. Therefore, they must be encouraged to own a programme so that benefits are maximized.
They disclosed that Government has also started deliberations on convening fourth round of Back to Village but dates have yet not been finalized. “The Government wants people’s massive participation not merely as an agent in the execution of the development works but as owners of the entire programme”, they added.
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