Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Srinagar, Nov 07 (KNS): The 5th phase of the highly-anticipated ‘Back to Village"’ Program (B2V) in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory commenced on tuesday, continuing its mission to foster interaction, gather feedback, and improve the delivery of vital services to rural areas.
A government official told KNS that the program will run until November 16th, with Prabhari Officers visiting their respective panchayats to collaborate with local communities.
The Back to Village Program, a flagship public outreach and feedback initiative of the Union Territory Government, is now in its 5th phase.
The officials said that it emphasizes the importance of direct engagement with grassroots communities to enhance governance and development.
“The B2V Program aims to facilitate collaboration between the people and government officials to achieve equitable development in rural areas.
It seeks to gather feedback, review accomplishments, and plan for future development projects with a focus on improving e-services accessibility and citizen engagement,” they said.
“The previous four editions of the B2V program have played a significant role in identifying the needs and priorities of villages, enhancing the delivery of government services, and raising awareness about various government initiatives. It has also helped identify beneficiaries, especially youth and women, for skill development and self-employment schemes,” the officials added.
The officials further told KNS that the 5th phase of the B2V Program will emphasize the saturation of self-employment schemes, progress in implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission (providing safe drinking water), welfare schemes, including old-aged pension, sports, culture, electrification in villages, and other critical areas. A comprehensive booklet has been provided to Prabhari Officers for reference,”
“All data collected during this phase will be digitized and analyzed to guide further actions at various government levels. The primary goal of the program remains the saturation of services and enhancing the connection between the government and the people”.
The B2V Program's Phase I was launched in June 2019, and since then, it has evolved into a key tool for promoting grassroots participation, improving service delivery, and enhancing rural development across Jammu and Kashmir.
The B2V Program continues to be a promising model of public engagement, aimed at fostering a more inclusive and participatory governance system. It serves as an important platform for addressing the unique needs of rural communities and ensuring their progress and well-being.
It is worth mentioning here that the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary A.K. Mehta presided over a meeting on Sunday to assess the preparations for the program.
Chief Secretary Mehta noted that previous editions facilitated the aggregation of village requirements, aiding in the prioritization of public projects of utmost significance. These efforts contributed to the government's success in ensuring the last-mile delivery of an array of services and identifying potential beneficiaries for skill development and self-employment initiatives.
Mehta also emphasized that this B2V phase will particularly concentrate on achieving full coverage of self-employment and welfare schemes, the efficient implementation of the 'Jal Jeevan Mission,' and the assessment of various other essential parameters.
Chief Secretary Mehta extended an appeal to the public, encouraging their active participation in the B2V program, highlighting its significance in promoting community engagement and equitable development in the region. (KNS)