Parl panel meets top civil admin officials in J&K

Srinagar: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, which is on a four-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, on Thursday held a meeting with top civil administration officials to discuss the developmental scenario and people's welfare measures in the Union Territory.

Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Arun Kumar Mehta gave a detailed presentation, highlighting the achievements and the functioning of all the departments of the UT, to the panel, an official spokesperson said. The committee comprising of 28 Members of Parliament from Lok Sabha as well as Rajya Sabha is headed by senior Congress leader and MP Anand Sharma.

Giving details about the steps taken in the last few years for democratic decentralisation, the officials informed the committee about the conduct of elections for the District Development Councils and Block Development Councils to strengthen grassroot-level democracy in the UT.

They were also informed that the region now has a three-tier democratic set up in place and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies have been further empowered.

Besides, public outreach programmes like 'Back to Village', 'Jan Abhiyan' and 'My Town My Pride' were conducted across Jammu and Kashmir, the spokesperson said. With respect to the power scenario in Jammu and Kashmir, the panel was informed that power generation projects have been fast-paced and 2500 MW would be added by the year 2025.

The committee was was also briefed about road connectivity, and water supply and about the status of schemes like Jal Jeevan Mission and achievement of 100 per cent piped water supply to all rural schools and anganwadi centres in 18 districts of the UT.

While terming the tourism and industries as "priority sectors", the meeting also deliberated upon the issues of industrial development, tourism sector, employment of youth and women empowerment, and sports activities.

The meeting also discussed resettlement of Kashmiri Migrants in the valley. Commenting on the COVID-19 management in the Union Territory, the panel appreciated the mitigation and relief efforts during the pandemic and recognised the administration's efforts and also implementation of e-office and other administrative reforms

undertaken.