PM Modi shaped J&K’s new destiny: LG

Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi shaped the new destiny of Jammu and Kashmir.

An official spokesman in a statement issued here said that at the Swachh Bharat Diwas Celebration event organised by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj at Raj Bhawan, the LG while handing over land allotment orders to 245 landless beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G) from across J&K on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti thanked PM Modi for shaping a new destiny of J&K, which had achieved the historic milestone of ODF Plus under the ‘Model’ category.

He also inaugurated the ‘Cashless Panchayats’, adoption of BHIM-UPI mode of transactions in Gram Panchayats of J&K on the occasion.

Sinha also dedicated 13 Block Development Council buildings across J&K to the Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) representatives to mark the occasion.

He congratulated the Rural Development Department, representatives of PRIs, and citizens for achieving 100 percent cleanliness and Solid and Liquid Waste Management in all 6650 villages.

“Door-to-door collection of waste has been initiated in all the Panchayats, segregation sheds have been established, and a financial model has been developed to ensure the sustainability of the waste collection mechanism, thereby converting waste to wealth,” the LG said.

He shared the efforts of the J&K administration to bring socio-economic transformation in the lives of the people living in villages.

“Growth in rural areas is fueling the socio-economic development of J&K. Our villages have come closer to the cities in terms of facilities, connectivity and infrastructure,” Sinha said. “With a participatory approach, we have strengthened social and environmental security and are creating entrepreneurship opportunities at the grassroots level.”

He said that the onboarding of 4274 Gram Panchayats of J&K on cashless mode on Monday was part of the government’s endeavour to digitise the Gram Panchayats and make them more transparent, accountable, and effective.

The LG commended the Directorate of Rural Sanitation for its novel initiative of ‘Swachhata Bulletin’ to monitor and share daily updates, and activities by districts in the spirit of Jan-Bhagidari and encouraging the community members to share feedback and contribute to building ‘Swachh and Swasth J&K’.

He directed the Rural Development Department to ensure the new system put in place in rural areas for sanitation remains dynamic, the new facilities developed in this journey are properly maintained, and the waste management system is continuously monitored.

Sinha called for data analysis for the day-to-day management of Swachh Gram and other future requirements with the help of technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI).

He felicitated the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of Ganderbal, Ramban, Srinagar, Budgam, and Kulgam, and Swachhata champions for their outstanding contribution to Swachhata campaigns and in achieving ODF Plus Model status.

Four booklets under SBM-G on Door-to-Door Waste Collection Guidelines, Legacy Waste Management Guidelines, Safe Sanitation Index, and Panchayat Sanitation Index released, and Sarpanches of Cashless Panchayats were also released on the occasion.

Chief Secretary, Arun Kumar Mehta; Principal Secretary to LG, Mandeep Kumar Bhandari; Commissioner Secretary, Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Mandeep Kaur; and Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Vijay Bidhuri were also present on the occasion.