STATE TIMES NEWS
UDHAMPUR: Union Minister for Women, Child Development and Minority Affairs, Smriti Irani on Friday launched an awareness campaign on Single Use Plastics (SUP) at Patnitop after she reached Udhampur for her two day visit to the district as part of Public Outreach Programme of Modi government.
The Union Minister also conducted an extensive tour of Udhampur to review progress on various ongoing development works being executed under Centrally Sponsored Schemes and other programmes.
District Development Council Chairperson, Lal Chand, Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Sheetal Nanda, Vice Chairperson DDC, Juhi Manhas Pathania, Deputy Commissioner, Sachin Kumar Vaishya, SSP, Dr Vinod Kumar besides DDC and BDCs members and other district heads of various departments attended the meeting.
Union Minister took comprehensive review of financial and physical progress achieved under district Capex budget 2021-22 and 2022-23 and other vital development plans of Center government. Smriti Irani directed the concerned departments to mobilize their men and machinery for effective implementation of all schemes. She emphasized coverage of 100 per cent eligible beneficiaries under all schemes.
While reviewing road wise progress of RDD and PWD sectors, Union Minister directed the concerned authorities to expedite the pace of progress on these works so that the set targets are achieved as per the given timelines.
Union Minister exhorted upon the DC to regularly monitor all ongoing development works and get feedback from district officers on daily basis for effective implementation.
Smriti Irani said that the Center government has launched various historic flagship programmes under the leadership of Prime Minister. She called upon the officers to make dedicated efforts towards taking the benefits of all these schemes to the targeted sections of the society.
Union Minister directed the officers to develop a good rapport with the people and pay them regular visits so as to assess their development needs and aspirations. She also asked them to organize awareness camps in all remote and far-flung areas so that the people are made aware about the benefits of these schemes.
She directed the concerned departments tto ensure that all the schemes launched by the Center government are implemented in letter and spirit.
Meanwhile, Patnitop Development Authority has embarked upon a comprehensive plan towards imposing complete ban on Single Use Plastics all across its jurisdiction in accordance with the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021 and Patnitop Development Authority Solid Waste Management Bye-Laws, 2021, to curb plastic pollution and protect the fragile ecosystem for a sustainable future.
The objective of the awareness campaign was to sensitize the people about the risks associated with SUP, assess the public opinion, promote usage of alternatives. Appreciating the eco-friendly initiative of PDA while launching the awareness campaign from the lush green meadows of Patnitop, Smriti Irani urged upon the stakeholders and tourists for their support and cooperation in preserving the natural beauty and ecological balance of Patnitop Tourism Circuit.
Others present on the occasion were Deputy Commissioner Udhampur, Deputy Commissioner Ramban, SSPs Udhampur and Ramban, PRI representatives besides others.