J&K officials told to  visit remote villages 

SRINAGAR:  After the first three phases of innovative public outreach programme, the Jammu and Kashmir government is all set to launch a five-day phase-IV Back-to-Village (B2V4) programme from October 27 to October 31 to bridge the gap between the administration and the people, and bring governance at the doorstep of people in villages, including remote areas across the Union Territory.

The B2V4 is preceded by 10-day Jan Abhiyan, which started on October 15 and will end on October 26.  As part of the Abhiyan, the departments have been given deliverable targets, which directly impacts the public. During the five-day B2V4 from October 27-31, about 4,500 officers will travel to villages and spend at least two days and a night in every Panchayat to listen to issues confronting the public and discuss solutions.

Principal Secretary Information Rohit Kansal told this newspaper that B2V4 will be far more action-oriented.  “It has been designed as an action programme to deliver tangible and measurable progress at the ground level.”

In Phase III, he said, the target was set to provide self employment to 2 persons in every panchayat in J&K. “This year, the target has been increased from two to 15.” According to Kansal, the B2Vs and Jan Abhiyan have ensured that voices of people are heard. The top government officials usually don’t go to the villages but under B2V, it has been mandatory for them to go to the villages and stay there for two days to listen to the public grievances.

According to an official, the focus areas of B2V4 shall be youth, skills and self employment, good governance and Panchayati Raj, Nasha Mukt, Rozgar Yukt J&K. He said over 2 lakh certificates and documents of various kinds would be issued. 

No salaries yet for Pandit employees
For the 5,500 PM package Kashmiri Pandit employees, who have not resumed their duties in Valley since killing of Pandit employee by militants on May 12 this year, Diwali will be a low key affair without any celebration as their salaries have been withheld by the administration. Ranjan Jotshi vice president All Migrant Displaced Employees Association Kashmir said that authorities did not release their withheld salaries.