Bandipora : Principal Secretary, Skill Development Department, Dr. Asgar Hassan Samoon, on Saturday visited several Education and Skill Development Institutions in the district and reviewed the academic activities besides assessing development works being executed there.
Deputy Commissioner, Dr Owais Ahmad, Senior Superintendent of Police, Mohammad Zahid, Additional District Development Commissioner, Ali Afsar Khan, Joint Director Planning, Imtiyaz Ahmad, district officers and PRI members accompanied the Principal Secretary.
Dr Samoon visited Krishi Vigyan Kendra Patushai, Bandipora and interacted with the scientists and the staff there and enquired about the research activities being carried in the centre in different fields of agriculture.
He was informed that KVK trains the farmers of the district in modern agriculture techniques along with practical training so that the farmers adopt these innovations in their farms to ensure enhanced produce. He was informed that KVK Bandipora is producing Shalimar Rice 4 seed for the farmers which produce 5 quintal per kanal.
Principal Secretary asked the concerned officers to diversify the programmes for successful youth engagement in different trades saying that KVK is an asset which can be used for youth engagement programmes besides providing scientific hand holding to farmers. He took stock of infrastructural issues in the Centre including fencing and macadamization of approach road.
Dr Samoon also visited Government Degree College Bandipora and inaugurated a Browsing centre for students. He inspected ongoing fencing work and visited different departments of the college besides interacting with the students.
He visited Government Polytechnic College Bandipora and reviewed the academic activities of the institution besides taking stock of repair and renovation works. He inspected the ongoing construction works in the newly established complex and interacted with staff and students to get feedback about teaching learning process and infrastructural issues including hostel, workshop and transport facilities.
Later, Principal Secretary visited Mini Secretariat Bandipora and handed over keys of 13 vehicles to beneficiaries of Mumkin scheme. He also kick started plantation drive organized by Social Forestry Department besides distributing agricultural tools among the farmers under various schemes including Floor Grinding Machine for halqa Panchayat Chittaybandi.
Dr Samoon also handed over 7 scooties to specially abled persons provided by Department of Social Welfare under various welfare schemes. He distributed kits of artificial insemination and dosing among tribal youth who participated in 14 day capacity building programme organized by the Department of Sheep Husbandry.
During his visit to Girls Higher Secondary School Bandipora, Dr Samoon felicitated Padma Shree awardee Faisal Ali and meritorious students of recently declared board exams. He distributed cash prizes and mementos among meritorious children. A cultural programme was also held at GHSS.
Principal Secretary, during his visit to District Hospital Bandipora, took stock of healthcare facilities being provided to the people there and interacted with the patients to take feedback about the facilities being provided to them.
Later, Principal Secretary chaired a meeting of officers to review the developmental activities being executed in the district.
Dr Samoon reviewed proposals under the District Capex Plan, 2021-22 including physical status of projects targeted for completion in the current fiscal.
Deputy Commissioner informed about the status of various ongoing development projects.
He revealed that 1704 works including 1244 under CSS, 412 under Area Development,46 under Regular and 2 under NABARD have, so far, been completed in the district under various schemes including MGNREGA works, PMAY (G) works, DDC Grants, BDC works and PMGSY works. Besides, Rs 529 crore have been earmarked for the financial year 2021-22 with major thrust on Jal Jeevan Mission (51%), PMGSY (21%), Rural development Department (8%), Education & Health (8%) etc.
Dr Samoon sought details from the heads of departments including Rural Development Department, Education, Health, JKPDCL, R&B, Jal Shakti, Animal and Sheep Husbandry and Skill Development about the progress on ongoing projects of their respective departments.
Later, Dr Samoon interacted with public delegations including PRI members who apprised him of various issues seeking his intervention towards speedy resolution of their grievances.
