Chief Secretary pitches for beautification of Budgam

Budgam, Feb 17: Chief Secretary, Arun Kumar Mehta Thursday called for beautification of Budgam to add to its tourist attraction and develop it as a modern city in next six months.
The Chief Secretary was chairing a meeting of officers to take review of progress of development projects and implementation of UT and centrally sponsored schemes under District Capex Budget, Languishing and other grants, here at Conference Hall Budgam.
Principal Secretary Agriculture Department, Navin Kumar Choudhary; Chairman District Development Council, Nazir Ahmad Khan; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole; District Development Commissioner, Shahbaz Ahmed Mirza, Chief Engineers R&B, KPDCL, Jal Shakti, Heads of Horticulture, Education, Health, RDD, Animal & Sheep Husbandry, Command Area, Agriculture departments and district and sectoral officers attended the meeting.
At the outset, the Chief Secretary stressed on beautification of Budgam and instructed concerned people to launch a 3- month development campaign with focus on sanitation and beautification to turn Budgam into a modern City.
He said that all Sarpanchs under the mission mode shall also carry out the sanitation campaign across all villages and ensure construction of separate pits for dumping of waste generated at village level, besides, ensuring all their areas are made litter and plastic free zones.
The Chief Secretary laid emphasis on promotion of Doodhpathri, Tosamaidan and Yousmarg tourist destinations and directed the concerned to brace up for celebrating the current year as an ‘Year of Tourism in Budgam.’
He emphasized that besides proper sanitation and putting in place all other required facilities at tourist destinations, facilities like huts, cafeteria and lavatory complexes be established for the hassle-free stay of tourists. He said that after Srinagar, Budgam should be showcased as the next stop for the tourists with the best facilities. He asked to extend handholding to local youth to enable them to look for self employment avenues in the tourism trade.
While taking the sector wise review, the Chief Secretary emphasized on convergence of MGNREGA with other schemes to provide maximum wages to the registered labour card holders and create durable rural assets.
He stressed on expediting the work on all ongoing projects and their timely completion. He said that works taken up be completed in all respects within the set timeline.
He said that the work on the 125-bedded District Hospital estimated to cost Rs 48 crore would start soon in Budgam.
Stressing on prompt and hassle- free public service delivery, the Chief Secretary asked the departments to bring evident improvement and take the feedback for every service provided to the citizens.
At the outset, the DDC Budgam, Shahbaz Ahmed Mirza gave a detailed resume of the achievements and progress achieved under Capex Budget, Languishing and DDC, BDC and other grants, through a powerpoint presentation.
The Chief Secretary lauded the district administration for its remarkable work in different sectors including road connectivity and providing of self employment to the youth.
He directed officers to work in tandem and ensure speedy development of Budgam as a model district. He stressed that all government offices should switch over to digital offices and ensure speedy and prompt services to the public.
Earlier, the Chief Secretary laid the foundation stone of three- storey residential accommodation for DDC/BDC members at Sheikhpora in Budgam.
The work on the project shall be executed by R&B Division Budgam at an estimated cost of Rs. 6.41 crore to provide 2- BHK accommodation facility to the DDC/ BDC members of the district.
The 17- flat accommodation complex would have three blocks with parking space, meeting hall, dormitory facility and security post.
The Chief Secretary directed the concerned to ensure the completion of the project by the end of the year as its deadline.