The fifth phase of the Back to Village Programme (B2V) began on November 7th in Jammu and Kashmir, marking an exciting new chapter in the government’s commitment to rural development and community engagement. Running until November 16th, this program emphasizes the vital role of Prabhari Officers, who will stay in their respective panchayats to gather feedback and tailor government efforts to enhance village-specific services.
B2V Empowering Rural Communities: The Back to Village Programme, commonly known as B2V, represents a collaborative endeavor between local communities and government officials to drive equitable development in rural regions. Introduced in 2019, this initiative has become a cornerstone of the government’s strategy to bring development to the grassroots and empower local communities.
The Essence of B2V: Launched in 2019, B2V is a pioneering government outreach program in Jammu and Kashmir. It aims to actively involve local communities in the development process, providing them with a platform to express their needs and concerns. The program sends government officials from various departments to rural areas for approximately a week.
Core Objectives of B2V
The program’s key objectives are as follows:
1. Direct Citizen Engagement: B2V encourages face-to-face interaction between government officials and the local population, allowing for the identification of specific needs and grievances.
2. Assessment and Planning: It offers officials the opportunity to assess existing infrastructure, services, and living conditions in rural areas, which forms the basis for planning development projects.
3. Transparency and Accountability: B2V fosters transparency and accountability in governance by engaging citizens in decision-making and implementation.
4. Empowering Panchayats: Panchayats play a central role in the program, acting as intermediaries between government policies and the rural population.
Key Features of B2V5: The fifth phase of the Back to Village program, B2V5, has generated substantial excitement and active participation in Jammu and Kashmir. Some notable features include:
1. Community Meetings: Government officials in B2V5 will host meetings with local communities, offering citizens a platform to voice their concerns.
2. Infrastructure Development: B2V5 places a strong focus on accelerating infrastructure development in rural areas, covering road construction, electrification, water supply, and more.
3. Skill Development and Employment: B2V5 prioritizes skill development and employment opportunities through various schemes, motivating rural youth to acquire new skills and explore job prospects.
4. Education and Healthcare: Ensuring quality education and healthcare services in rural areas is a top priority, with B2V5 seeking to enhance schools and healthcare centers.
5. Promotion of Local Culture: B2V5 celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Jammu and Kashmir by organizing cultural events and showcasing local art, music, and traditions.
6. Environmental Initiatives: Sustainable practices and environmental conservation are integral to the program. B2V5 encourages activities like tree plantation drives and waste management.
“The Back to Village Programme has become an essential component of the Aspirational Panchayat Program, with the key objective being the saturation of services and bridging the gap between the government and the people. Officials are encouraging the overwhelming participation of the public, underscoring that it serves as a true measure of the program’s success. All officers are strongly encouraged to actively participate in B2V activities to achieve the specific objectives set for this phase”.
The Chief Secretary, Arun Kumar Mehta emphasized the significance of previous editions of B2V, stating that they have helped collate village requirements, prioritize public works, and ensure the last-mile delivery of various government services. These editions have also spread awareness about government services and initiatives while identifying beneficiaries, especially youth and women, for skill development and self-employment schemes. Dr. Mehta, during preparations for B2V5, highlighted the focus on saturating self-employment schemes, the progress on implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission, and welfare schemes like the old-age pension scheme, sports, and culture. The data collected during this phase will be digitally analyzed for consequential action. The Back to Village program has become an essential component of the Aspirational Panchayat Program, with the key objective being the saturation of services and bridging the gap between the government and the people. Officials are encouraging the overwhelming participation of the public, underscoring that it serves as a true measure of the program’s success. All officers are strongly encouraged to actively participate in B2V activities to achieve the specific objectives set for this phase.
Noteworthy Success Stories: The Back to Village program has a track record of success in Jammu and Kashmir. It has led to the implementation of water supply schemes, improved road connectivity in remote areas, strengthened Panchayat governance, and supported skill development, while preserving local culture and boosting tourism and art.
The Path Ahead: B2V, particularly in its fifth phase, underscores the government’s unwavering commitment to rural development and community participation. By actively engaging with local communities and addressing their needs, B2V aims to create a stronger, more self-reliant rural Jammu and Kashmir. As the program evolves, maintaining transparency, accountability, and effective project implementation is essential. With the active involvement of Panchayats and a focus on skill development, education, and healthcare, B2V5 promises to make a lasting impact on the lives of rural residents in the region.
“Overall, the participation of the Lieutenant Governor was instrumental in driving the success of the Back to Village 5 program, promoting transparency, accountability, and the active engagement of rural communities in the development process, ultimately leading to rural transformation and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Enhancing Public Outreach and Feedback: The Back to Village Programme stands as the flagship public outreach, participation, and feedback initiative of the UT Government. During the program, Prabhari Officers visit their respective panchayats to interact with the public, review previous and current year deliverables, and prepare the next year’s Gram Panchayat Development Programme. The focus extends to improving e-services penetration, user experience for greater accessibility, and feedback on various notable achievements of departments recognized at the national level. The previous four editions of the B2V program have been instrumental in collating village requirements, prioritizing works of public importance, and ensuring the last-mile delivery of various government services. They have also significantly contributed to spreading awareness about government services and initiatives, along with identifying beneficiaries, especially youth and women, for skill development and self-employment schemes. Collaboration with banks has further facilitated self-employment opportunities for unemployed youth. This edition of B2V places particular focus on the saturation of self-employment schemes, the progress in implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission, welfare scheme saturation, sports, culture, and achieving various deliverables. The data collected will be digitally analyzed for consequential action. The Back to Village Programme has become an essential component of the Aspirational Panchayat Program, with the key objective being the saturation of services and bridging the gap between the government and the people. Officials are encouraging the overwhelming participation of the public, underscoring that it serves as a true measure of the program’s success. All officers are strongly encouraged to actively participate in B2V activities to achieve the specific objectives set for this phase.
The LG’s Role in B2V5: The Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, played a pivotal role in the “Back to Village 5” (B2V5) program. His participation was crucial in promoting and facilitating the success of this unique initiative aimed at transforming rural Jammu and Kashmir.
LG’s Commitment to Rural Prosperity: LG Manoj Sinha, during his visit to the Chatha Farm in Satwari, Jammu, expressed his commitment to rural prosperity and development. He underscored the importance of peoples’ participation in rural areas, emphasizing that it lies at the core of the region’s prosperity.
Shaping Inclusive Development: The LG highlighted that the Back to Village initiative is designed to address the saturation of developmental and welfare schemes and to ensure that village communities receive the benefits of both Central and Union Territory (UT) schemes. Under his leadership, the UT administration has accorded the highest priority to vulnerable sections of the population and has provided unprecedented resources to bring about a revolution in rural and far-flung areas.
Unique Opportunity for Holistic Development: Manoj Sinha mentioned that, in the past few years, timely implementation and monitoring of various programs have ensured a unique opportunity for holistic development of villages. Various sections of society have been liberated from decades of discrimination and exploitation, and they have been provided opportunities to benefit from growth.
Promoting Local Self-Reliance: The LG stressed that the road to progress and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir has to pass through its villages and far-flung areas. It is the government’s determination and commitment to ensure better infrastructure, amenities, public services, skills, and opportunities for youth and women. He also emphasized the enhanced productivity of agriculture and allied sectors.
Community Participation for Progress: Manoj Sinha called upon all the citizens of rural areas to contribute to improving the literacy rate, eradicating malnutrition, and addressing tuberculosis (TB) in Panchayats. His vision is that every village should aspire to become self-reliant and spearhead the sustainable development of Jammu and Kashmir.
Acknowledging Grassroots Development: The LG acknowledged the efforts and contributions of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and local self-governance representatives in taking the development initiatives to the grassroots level. He recognized their invaluable role in fostering local development and prosperity.
An Enabling Environment for Inclusive Development: During his visit to the event, Manoj Sinha actively engaged with the public and government departments, expressing his commitment to establish participatory and people-centric governance and create an enabling environment for inclusive development. Overall, the participation of the Lieutenant Governor was instrumental in driving the success of the Back to Village 5 program, promoting transparency, accountability, and the active engagement of rural communities in the development process, ultimately leading to rural transformation and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir.
