BANDIPORA MARCH 17 (KNS): Commissioner Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Mandeep Kaur, today visited Bandipora to take stock of functioning of Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj

Highlighting the importance of transparency and accountability in the effective implementation of schemes executed by the department, Commissioner Secretary RDD stressed on ensuring social audit of all the works under MGNREGA through Gram Sabhas. She also asked the PRI members to actively involve themselves in the social audit process which is conducted jointly by the Government and the public and serves as verification report of the works executed under the scheme. Social audit aims at effective implementation of the scheme and control of irregularities.

The Commissioner Secretary made these remarks while chairing a meeting of officers and PRIs in Bandipora to review the implementation and progress of ongoing works in the district.

The meeting was attended by Chairman, District Development Council Bandipora, Abdul Gani Bhat, Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Dr. Owais Ahmad, Vice Chairperson DDC Kounser Shafeeq, Director Rural Development Department Kashmir Tariq Ahmad Zargar, Director Finance Ab Hamid Kumar, ADDC Bandipora Afsar Ali Khan, Joint Director Planning Imtiyaz Ahmad, ACD Bandipora Ab Rashid Das, ACP Bandipora Syed Altaf Hussain Mosavi, Director, Social Audit, Shafia Naqashbandi, DDC members, BDCs, BDOs and other concerned officers.

At the outset of the meeting, Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Dr Owais Ahmad highlighted the progress of the department and implementation of various ongoing schemes in the district.

Giving details, Dr. Owais informed the chair that 514.27 lakhs were approved for district Bandipora under UT Capex Budget 2021-22. He added out of 777 approved works under District Capex Budget, 752 works have been tendered out of which 326 works has been completed.

Regarding SBM(G), Commissioner Secretary directed the concerned to expedite the construction of toilet units in the district while adding that construction of Community Sanitary Complex toilets could be taken up wherever required.

Special emphasis was also laid on conduct of capacity building programmes, trainings and exposure visits for PRIs for better comprehension of works, schemes and policies with regard to implementation of schemes run by the department.

Earlier, she also took stock of various ongoing works in the district including Community Sanitary Complex (CSC) constructed under SBM(G) in Panchayat Halqa Kawapora at an expenditure of Rs. 4.98 lakh, and a sprawling playfield at Guzar Mohalla constructed under MGNREGA at a cost of Rs. 4 lakh.(KNS)