Lauds UT admin for taking reformative measures ensuring transparency, equitable justice
Srinagar: Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta Sunday gave a detailed overview of the developmental activities happening in the UT from the past year to the CEO, NITI Aayog, Parameswaran Iyer.
Besides the MD, Aspirational Districts Programme and MD, Atal Innovation Programme from NITI Aayog the meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Finance; Principal Secretary, H&UDD; Principal Secretary, GAD; Principal Secretary, School Education; Secretary Planning; CEO, Jal Jeevan Mission; DG Planning; Director Agriculture, Kashmir and several other officers from different departments.
Principal Secretary, Higher Education; Secretary IT and other officers participated in the meeting through video conferencing from Jammu.
Giving the overview of the developmental works taking place in the UT during previous year the Chief Secretary stated that the main endeavor of the UT administration is to bring governance at the doorsteps of people with least encumbrances.
Dr Mehta apprised the visiting delegation about dozens of reforms taken by the administration towards ensuring greater transparency, effective monitoring and better outcomes. He gave out that in order to ensure percolation of benefits to the grassroots level the UT has completely moved to DBT mode. It was also given out that every fund transfer done through BEAMS and spent through a robust digital payment system called JK PaySys.
The CS also revealed that each work taken in hand is mandatorily be e-tendered after being given the proper Administrative Approval and Technical Sanction. He said that this unique mechanism ensures that each project is technically sound and gets requisite funds for timely completion. It was further stated that the works are being monitored and evaluated by third parties besides the executing agencies carrying them out.
Regarding the reforms in governance the CS said that some the UT is offering some 209 services through online mode through e-Unnat platform where the applicants need not have to visit the offices physically but gets these services delivered in the comforts of their homes. He informed them the system is also RAS integrated for speedy disposal of requests and feedback from the public about these services.
Dr Mehta also highlighted other initiatives of the government like universal health coverage scheme, Sehat in J&K, transformation of agriculture from traditional to remunerative enterprises, engagement of youth through establishment of some 40000 youth clubs and providing of sports infrastructure to each panchayat and organizing spirts events to give opportunity to some 37 lakh youngsters for honing their sports skills.
The Chief Secretary also enumerated several institutional reforms like elections to all the 3 tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions, introduction of e-office, digitisation of land records, providing of land passbooks to farmers, introducing District Good Governance Index (DGGI)and establishment of CAT benches besides strengthening the anti-corruption mechanism by establishing more potent Anti-Corruption Bureau under the Central Vigilance Commission here.
The Administrative Secretaries of H&UDD, School Education, PD&MD gave presentations about the progress and reforms made by their concerned departments.
It was revealed that J&K leads the country in many parameters including less neo-natal mortality rate, sex ratio at birth, life expectancy, full Immunization of children, institutional births, per capita energy consumption etc. It was also said that the UT has attained 100% saturation in beneficiary schemes like Old age pension, widow pension, scholarships to Minority/SC students, Pishan Tracker etc.
The meeting was informed that under SAUBHAGYA scheme electricity connections are being provided to every House Hold and till date 8.57 lakh beneficiaries covered while as under PM UjjwalaYojana( PMUY), 12.41 lakh LPG connections have been provided to BPL house holds. Under Prime Minister’s MatruVandanaYojana, 100 % Saturation has been attained with a coverage of 55841 pregnant women beneficiaries covered against a target of 49950 during 2021-22.
Similarly, the meeting was apprised that has J&K become 100% open defecation free, 100% urban wards have been covered under door to door solid waste management collection, 99.94 % population has been provided with piped water under JJM with 23160 Schools, 24163 AnganwadiCentres, 3324 Health Institutions and 1666 Gram Panchayat Buildings being provided with drinking water connections. It was said that macdamization of 7301 kns has been accomplished in previous year at the rate of 21 kms/day which was earlier pegging at only 6 kms a day.
Moreover, the meeting was also informed that under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), Kissan Credit Card Scheme and Soil Health Card 100% saturation has been achieved besides under monthly income of agriculture households category, J&K has achieved 3rd rank while as in performing State/UT in agriculture and allied sectors category, it ranks 5th.
It was also given out in the meeting that highest ever investment proposals of Rs. 52,000 Crores have been received, Highest ever Milk Production of 2594 thousand MTs has been attained besides highest ever GST Collection of Rs. 11,242 Crore, highest ever stamp Duty collection of Rs. 439 Crore and highest ever Excise collection of Rs. 1830 Crore has also been achieved during the previous fiscal by the UT.