JAMMU, AUG 1: The District Development Council (DDC) of Jammu, under the leadership of Bharat Bhushan Bodhi, DDC Chairman Jammu, today conducted a meeting at the PWD Guest House today and reviewed the working of Rural Development Department and Power Development Department.
In the meeting, the Vice Chairman of DDC Jammu, Suraj Singh Bhau, DDC members Suresh Kumar, Sharda Bhau, Bhushan Bral, Prof Garu Ram Bhagat, Darminder Kumar, Taranjit Singh Tony, Vidhya Mottan, Balbir Kumar, Joginder Singh Kaku, Geetu Aulakh and Shamima Begum. Deputy Commissioner Avny Lavasa, Chief Executive Officer DDC Jammu, Romesh Kumar, CPO Yoginder Katoch, ACD Preeti Khajuria, DPO Daljit Singh, ALL BDOs, SE JPDCL, SE JPTCL, SE Project Wing, Executive Engineer of Div-1, Div-2 & Div-3 and other subordinate staff were present.
During the meeting, Chairman Bharat Bhushan Bodhi emphasized the urgent need for enhancing and expediting electrification efforts in rural areas. He directed officials from the Power Development Department to address unscheduled power cuts and ensure uninterrupted power supply to residents in both urban and rural areas. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of providing uninterrupted power to farmers for safeguarding their crops from potential damage.
Subsequently, the Chairman conducted a thorough evaluation of the functioning of the Rural Development Department. The review encompassed several schemes, such as Amrit Sarovar, CD Panchayats, District Apex, DDC component, BDC component, and PRI component.
Officials of Rural Development Department informed the Chairman that a total of 1430 works had been tendered in the current financial year. Of these works, 433 have been allotted and 244 have already commenced, with 216 of them already completed. However, officials highlighted that the progress of these projects has been hindered by a shortage of BDOs (Block Development Officers) and JEs (Junior Engineers).
In view of this, the Council members emphasized the need for expediting the tendering process to ensure the full utilization of the development budget.
In response to these challenges, the DDC Chairman appealed to the Lt Governor to address the issue by expediting the recruitment process and filling the vacant positions at the earliest.
Additionally, the DDC Chairman applauded the government’s decision to provide land to landless individuals under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). He urged the government to intensify the process as soon as possible, benefiting the poor and marginalized sections of society.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, with all participants committed to working together towards achieving the goals set forth by the District Development Council of Jammu. The DDC Chairman expressed his gratitude to all officials and members for their participation and contributions.