Omar lays thrust on pushing forward SKEWPY initiative

Asks for mass public awareness about RTI, PSGA.

SRINAGAR: Laying stress on further pushing of SKEPWY initiative and bringing more and more educated youth under its ambit to address unemployment crisis in the State, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Thursday asked the officers to sensitize the administration in this regard down the line.
“The awareness and education about the scheme needs to be adequately disseminated among the youth and the flow of finances for launch of independent livelihood smoothened”, he said and emphasized on giving necessary fillip to the uptake of SKEWPY.
Reviewing the progress of District Plan 2011-12 of Kulgam District in a District Development Board meeting at SKICC here, Omar Abdullah said that the State Government has allotted substantial funds under SKEWPY to provide required financial assistance to the youth for start of ventures.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Forests, Mian Altaf Ahmad, Minister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo, Advisors to the Chief Minister, Mubarak Gul and Devender Singh Rana, Deputy Speaker, Legislative Assembly, Sartaj Madni, Vice Chairman, Gujjar and Bakerwal Advisory Board, B. A. Naaz, MP, Mehboob Beigh and G. N. Rattanpuri and Legislators, M. Y. Tarigami and Abdul Gaffar Sofi, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas, Principal Secretary R&B, K. B. Agarwal, District Development Commissioner, Kulgam, Farooq Ahmad Khan, various Administrative Secretaries, Heads of the Departments and district officers.
In a categorical direction to the field officers regarding submission of utilization certificate, the Chief Minister told them that no laxity or delay in this regard will be tolerated. “I will not tolerate any delay in submitting of utilization certificate”, he asserted and told the officers that they should take it as his directive. He said it will be criminal on the part of officers who delay in submitting utilization certificates and as such badly tell upon the flow of funds from the Centre Government for various schemes.
The Chief Minister asked the district administration to ensure maximum completion of ongoing schemes during the last year of 11th Five Year Plan. “You should try your best to close as many as possible ongoing schemes during the current Five Year Plan period so that 12th Five Year Plan is launched in the State on a clean slate”, he stressed.
Underlining the importance of Right to Information Act (RTI) and Public Service Guarantee Act (PSGA) in bringing transparency in the functioning of the administration and making public service delivery time bound, the Chief Minister asked the administration to launch a comprehensive awareness campaign to make public fully aware about their powers to ask questions to the Government Departments about every commission and omission and obtain public services within the fixed time limit. “If you require any assistance from Information Department in this regard that will be provided to you”, he added. He asked them to utilize the service of Panchayat Raj institutions in making public awareness more comprehensive and elaborative.
The Chief Minister told the DDB to hold its re-appropriation meeting in the mid-March under the Chairman of the Board and take decision about the spending of current year’s savings on identified works. “In my opinion you should give priority to land acquisition matters and completion of smaller development works”, he added.
Minister for Forests, Mian Altaf Ahmad who is also Chairman of the District Development Board Kulgam said that Kulgam district has shown remarkable achievements in various development sectors which is visible on the ground. He said that every effort has been put in to make development inclusive and equitable.
Minister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo raised the issue of Hardmand Gori Irrigation scheme and highlighted its importance for the economic benefit of the area and enhancement of agricultural activities.
In a PowerPoint presentation the District Development Commissioner, Kulgam, Farooq Ahmad Khan said that the district has registered 69.34 percentage progress under the current District Plan by the end of January 2012. He said out of Rs. 70.29 crore availability Rs. 48.74 crore have been expended by January end.
Khan said that 71 road communication schemes involving Rs. 127.90 crores are presently under execution in the district and Rs. 67.99 crores has been spent on these so far. He said 23 water supply schemes estimating Rs. 38.48 crore are also in progress in the district. He said Rs. 13.60 crores have been spend on these schemes so far.
The District Development Commissioner said that five water supply schemes of Chougalpora-Bathipora, Khud Hanjipora, Dub Daban, K B pora, Gujjar Basti and Ziarat Sharief Qoimoh have been completed. (KMW NEWS)