5 distts of Kashmir, only 2 of Jammu cross 100 projects mark
*Prog becoming effective tool for service delivery: CS
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 29: Pulwama, Budgam and Udhampur districts have taken lead in the completion of projects during 2020-21 financial year under Back to Village (B2V), a unique mission of the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir aimed at improving efficiency of delivery mechanism related to various schemes.
As per the statistics available with EXCELSIOR, a total of 2177 projects were completed during last financial year under Back to Village Programme across 20 districts of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir by spending Rs 3695.40 lakh.
Of the total 2177 projects, maximum 356 have been completed in Pulwama district followed by 192 in Budgam district of the Kashmir valley. Udhampur district has taken lead in the Jammu province by completing 146 projects.
Five districts of Kashmir valley have completed more than 100 projects during the last financial year while as only two districts of Jammu province have figured in the list of districts completing over 100 projects under B2V.
Among these five districts of Kashmir are Ganderbal (130 projects), Kupwara (141) and Bandipore (123 projects). After Udhampur, only Kathua has crossed the 100 mark by completing 121 projects.
In Srinagar district 72 projects were completed, 86 projects in Shopian, 46 in Anantnag, 83 in Kulgam and 33 in Baramulla. Similarly, 97 projects were completed in Jammu, 97 in Samba, 24 in Ramban, 89 in Reasi, 77 in Rajouri, 93 in Poonch, 80 in Kishtwar and 90 in Doda.
For completion of identified works, majority of the districts were provided Rs 250 lakh each out of the total Rs 4817.47 funds made available by the Finance Department. However, expenditure to the tune of Rs 3695.40 lakh was recorded in the completion of 2177 projects. Ramban is the only district in the Union Territory which has recorded expenditure of Rs 62.68 lakh as against availability of Rs 250 lakh. Almost all other districts have recorded more than 90% expenditure.
Commenting on the achievement, Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta said, “during the last two years, several procedures have been streamlined in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir with the objective of improving public service delivery”, adding “the growing number of completed projects as compared to previous year is an indicator that Back to Village Programme is becoming an effective tool for public outreach and service delivery”.
“Back to Village, a unique public outreach programme started in the summer of 2019, has been a catalyst for development and a revolutionary step for door-step governance”, Dr Mehta said, adding “the programme has been successful in improving efficiency of delivery mechanism related to various Government schemes”.
He further said, “it helped in collecting feedback on Government welfare schemes and developmental programmes as the visiting officers carried out first hand assessment of functioning of local schools, Primary Health Centres, Anganwari Centres and reviewed progress of important schemes such as MGNREGA, Mid Day Meal, ICDS-Nutrition, PM-KISAN and Ayushman Bharat etc”.
The B2V was first of its kind initiative where 4189 officers covered 4621 Panchayats in three phases to reach out people at the gross root level. The objective was that the top levels of administration and people at grass root levels work in a spirit of togetherness and help in true empowerment of people.
A manual of activities for visiting officers was prepared to structure discussions with Gram Sabhas for improving formulation of Gram Panchayat Development Plans. Moreover, interactions were held with various stakeholders including frontline Government functionaries on key issues such as general cleanliness, solid waste management, organic farming, vermi-composting, rain water harvesting, drinking water, water conservation and self employment/entrepreneurship development.
In order to promote transparency and good governance, the Finance Department is also coming up with pictorial compendium of the completed projects so that common masses can come to know what requirement they had projected before the visiting officers and how the same has been fulfilled.
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