STATE TIMES NEWS
ANANTNAG: Union Minister of State for Cooperation and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), B L Verma, on Sunday concluded his two day tour of Anantnag.
The visit was part of Centre government’s ambitious public outreach program which is aimed at to assess the ground situation and take the feedback from the public and PRIS so that corrective measures are taken remove development deficit.
The Minister chaired an officers’ meeting to review the development scenario and implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes and other programmes in the district.
Verma enquired about the implementation of Har Ghar Nal Se Jal scheme and was informed that the schemes for the same are being implemented under JJM and are under execution. The MoS said that the schemes related to this initiative must be completed within the stipulated timeline to ensure portable drinking water reaches each household in the district.
“Numerous revolutionary steps have been taken up towards enhancing power and water supply across the country and every effort is being made to ensure the common man reaps benefits of these measures to the optimum:, Union MoS maintained..
The Minister also reviewed sector wise physical and financial progress on R&B, Education, Health, KPDCL, Jal Shakti, RDD, DIC, Sports Council, Handicrafts and Handlooms, Agriculture, Horticulture and other departments. He emphasized timely completion of works taken up under all vital sectors.
He took stock of implementation of PMAY(G), PMAY (U), CRF, languishing, PMGSY, PMDP, PM SEHAT, OoSC, PM POSHAN, SAMAGRA Shiksha, NSAP, ISSS, Scholarships, PMEGP, MUMKIN, TEJASWINI, PM KISAN and PMMSY in the district.
Discussing the potential for sheep rearing units, Union Minister was informed that while mutton and wool production is on the rise in the UT and it is still a net importer of meat and there is scope for further enhancing the production.
Regarding wool production, it was apprised that unprocessed wool is being exported outside the UT due to unavailability of wool processing industry in J&K and the breeders fetch poor prices for their unprocessed produce.
MoS directed the concerned officer to prepare and submit a proposal regarding setting up of a wool processing unit in the UT so that value addition can be accrued to the producers which will incentivize more people to take up sheep rearing. He said that suitable interventions and market linkages in sectors where there is excess demand are critical for creating sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Several issues including construction of new DC office complex, new building for Maternity and Child Care Hospital, widening of Janglat Mandi Khanabal road, Mini Secretariat at Kokernag, Administrative Complex at Dooru among others were put before the Union Minister who assured that assistance will be provided to projects of public importance.
Interacting with the officers, the Union Minister said that teamwork is crucially essential for development while laying stress on cooperation between elected representatives and civil authorities. He said that under the guidance of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, the focus of administration has to be on ensuring availability of all basic amenities to citizens of the country.
Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, gave a brief overview of the demography, geography, healthcare facilities, key infrastructure projects and district development plan. He said that in order to bring more efficiency, there has been focus on monitoring of development activities by leveraging ICT and time bound grievance redressal mechanisms.
Deputy Commissioner said that recently the fourth phase of ‘Back to Village’ program was successfully held in the district. He said that 335 panchayats were covered and there was an unprecedented impetus on door step delivery of services and achieving saturation under various welfare schemes.
A special brief regarding unique initiatives of Anantnag like SUKOON, PUKAAR, Home Stays and Honey Processing Plant at Achabal was also given to the Union MoS.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner, SSP, ADDC, ADC, JD Planning, SEs R&B and Jal Shakti, CAO, CEO, CMO, CAHO, CHO, ACR, DSHO and other senior officials from the district.
Union Minister e-inaugurated ANM School at Kokernag completed at a cost of Rs 2.68 crore besides laying e- foundation of BDO Office Larnoo to be constructed with a cost of Rs 50 lakh, 3 projects in education sector including 9 room double storey building at HSS Seer, 6 room additional accommodation at HSS Devalgam and 6 room additional accommodation at HSS Salia worth Rs 4.25 crore.
To promote innovation and entrepreneurship, the Union Minister distributed appreciation letters and cash rewards among three students and their mentors from Anantnag who had recently innovated an egg incubator. He also gave an appreciation letter as well as cash reward to Tufail Yaqoob, a student from Anantnag who qualified the prestigious JEE Advanced.
Union MoS, later, interacted with members of various cooperative societies as well as employees of Cooperative Department Anantnag.
He was informed that the total membership of Cooperatives in Anantnag is about 9.40 lakh and Super Bazaar Anantnag has 60 PACS as members. He was further apprised that Cooperatives department is planning to setup food processing plants in the district so that value addition to agricultural produce will allow the farmers to fetch better prices. The Cooperative department has 182 shops, 115 rooms, 49 Godowns and 184 Kerosene Depots in Anantnag. The department has organized 63 awareness camps during the Jan Abhiyan and registered several cooperative societies and trained members of existing societies.
Union MoS said that the Ministry of Cooperation aims to increase the Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies from 63000 to 3 lakh. He said that special focus is on agriculture, horticulture, dairy and fisheries sector. He said that these societies increase the leverage as compared to individual sellers and help in fetching favourable prices for the members. He said that societies will be instrumental for more equitable distribution of benefits among the genuine beneficiaries.
He said that “Sehkar se Samruddhi” vision of the PM has to be completed and efforts are being made in this direction. He said that globally India has the highest number of Cooperative societies. He said that presently in India, Cooperative movement has about 29 crore members and the aim is to increase this membership to 70 crore members. He said that for technical guidance and capacity building of employees and cooperative members, setting up a special university is also under consideration.
Union MoS, while talking about achievements in Cooperative sector, said that Rs 2516 crore fund has been created for computerization of PACS, registration of cooperatives of GeM portal, recapitalization of Urban Cooperative Banks and door step banking services by Urban Cooperative Banks.
He said that multi state societies must be promoted adding that horticulture is a major activity in the UT. He said that through multi state societies, the horticulturists will have access to outside markets and it will allow them to earn higher returns on their produce.
Union MoS also distributed registration certificates among newly registered cooperative societies.
