BUDGAM: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday directed the Budgam district administration to ensure full winter preparedness so that the people of the district do not face any inconvenience in terms of electricity, ration supply or snow clearance during the coming months.
He issued these directions while chairing a detailed district review meeting in Budgam, where the entire developmental scenario of the district was assessed threadbare.
The meeting was attended by Ministers Sakina Itoo, Javed Ahmad Rana and Javid Ahmed Dar, Speaker Legislative Assembly Advocate Abdul Raheem Rather, who represents Charar-i-Sharief constituency in Legislative Assembly, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani and MLAs Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi (Budgam), Ali Mohammad Dar (Chadoora), Shafi Ahmed Wani (Beerwah) and Saif-ud-din Bhat (Khan Sahib).
Additional Chief Secretary to the CM, Dheeraj Gupta, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg, Deputy Commissioner Budgam Bilal Mohi-ud-Din, Heads of Departments, district officers and other concerned officials were also present.
At the outset, the Deputy Commissioner Budgam gave a detailed presentation on the status of the Capex budget under UT and CSS, the district’s winter preparedness measures and the stock position of ration and LPG.
However, the Chief Minister expressed concern that snow clearance last year had suffered due to lack of coordination between different agencies. He pointed out that often various stretches of connected roads are being maintained by multiple departments, resulting in only partial clearance as each agency clears its own portion and leaves the remaining unattended.
Referring to developmental works, the Chief Minister acknowledged that the district had faced delays due to two months of the Model Code of Conduct and procedural issues of financial approvals.
He nevertheless urged the administration to make the best possible use of the remaining working months—December, January, February and March—while ensuring that expenditure is made responsibly and not merely for the sake of spending. He said it must be ensured that no funds lapse and that the money spent translates into visible public benefit.
Speaking on employment generation, Omar Abdullah reiterated that unemployment cannot be addressed solely through government jobs. He said the administration must reach out to youth, publicise the success stories of Mission YUVA and encourage more young people to take up self-employment and entrepreneurship. He stressed that such schemes must be taken to the grassroots so that their benefits reach the maximum number of people.
