Srinagar | Sept, 9:Chief Secretary, Atal DullooWednesday held detailed deliberations with the stakeholders of the Manthan platform of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA), Government of India to deliberate upon the roadmap and institutional framework for implementing RuTAGe Smart Village Centres (RSVCs) across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was also attended by ACS, Finance; Commissioner Secretary, FCS&CA; Commissioner Secretary, GAD; Commissioner Secretary, Education; Commissioner Secretary, Science & Technology; Secretary, Rural Development Department; Director General, Rural Sanitation, besides other senior officers and concerned stakeholders.
The deliberations focused on translating the RSVC concept into a practical, outcome-oriented model suited to the diverse socio-economic and geographical requirements of J&K. The initiative envisages bringing appropriate science, technology and innovation closer to rural communities while creating avenues for entrepreneurship, skill development, livelihood enhancement, local value addition and improved delivery of services.
Addressing the meeting Chief Secretary emphasized the necessity of a comprehensive day-long workshop to explore the implementation strategy for a new program in the Union Territory (UT). This workshop aims to gather various stakeholders, including relevant departments, universities, technology institutions, and grassroots organizations, to develop a clear and actionable roadmap. He highlighted the importance of building local capacity to ensure the sustainability of the initiative beyond its initial phase, ensuring that the technologies introduced are tailored to local needs and provide tangible benefits to communities. The Chief Secretary designated the Science & Technology Department as the nodal agency for this initiative in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), urging it to coordinate closely with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser and other stakeholders involved in the Manthan initiative. He identified several sectors ripe for technology-led transformation under the Rural Skill and Vocational Centers (RSVC) framework, including hydropower, agriculture, horticulture, handicrafts, hospitality, education, geriatric care, and drug-abuse rehabilitation. He also stressed the need for synergy with existing flagship initiatives like Mission YUVA and the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM). This convergence would enable the RSVC network to utilize established grassroots institutions and entrepreneurial ecosystems, thereby enhancing technology adoption among youth and extending benefits to rural self-help groups and livelihood enterprises. The Chief Secretary encouraged an ambitious, outcome-oriented approach, asserting that funding should not be a barrier when interventions show significant potential for improving lives and livelihoods. The initiative aims to create technology-enabled rural ecosystems in J&K, aligning local needs with innovations to enhance livelihoods, entrepreneurship, productivity, and overall quality of life in rural areas.
