Special Gram Sabhas held across Bandipora on Gandhi Jayanti under Reform Utsav

Bandipora, Oct 2: On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Special Gram Sabhas were held across all Panchayats of district Bandipora as part of the Reform Utsav, highlighting the importance of empowered Panchayats, participatory governance and people-led development.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Bandipora, Indu Kanwal Chib, visited several Panchayats, including Nadihal Panchayat C and Banyari-A, and participated in the programmes organised on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, the DC said that the spirit of Gandhi Jayanti reminds everyone that meaningful change begins with collective participation and responsibility. She called for joint efforts towards building resilient Panchayats and prosperous villages.
At Nadihal, the DC interacted with the participants and listened to various issues raised by the residents. The demands included commissioning and functionality of the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme, construction of a new building for the already sanctioned NTPHC, establishment of a Fire Service Station, installation of street lights and other local requirements.
The DC directed the concerned officers to note down the issues raised and assured the residents that their genuine demands would be taken up with the concerned departments for appropriate redressal.
Similarly, at Banyari-A, the DC interacted with residents and heard their demands pertaining to shortage of staff in schools, medical facilities, electricity poles and wires, road connectivity and drinking water.
She assured the residents of necessary action on the genuine demands and issued on-the-spot directions to the concerned departments for early redressal of their basic needs.
The DC urged the residents to actively participate in the formulation of development plans for their respective areas, stressing that greater community involvement in planning and implementation leads to more effective and sustainable outcomes.
She emphasised that there is always scope for citizens to participate in governance and contribute towards the proper implementation of government schemes, ensuring better and long-lasting results at the grassroots level.
Addressing the participants at Nadihal, the speakers highlighted the significance of Gandhi Jayanti as an appropriate occasion to celebrate Reform Utsav, recalling Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj and the central role of villages in the development of the country.
The programme focused on strengthening Panchayats through greater autonomy, planned and convergent development, active participation of citizens in the Gram Sabha, transparent and accountable governance, and the creation of prosperous and self-reliant villages.
On the occasion, the participants were informed about the importance of Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP) in ensuring planned development by bringing together the requirements and priorities of local communities with the resources and schemes of different departments.
The programme also highlighted the vision of Viksit Bharat, Viksit Gram, with emphasis on strengthening rural infrastructure, water security, livelihood infrastructure and works related to disaster management and climate resilience. The importance of convergence between Panchayats and line departments for effective implementation of development works was also underlined.
The Gram Sabhas also stressed that meaningful public participation is essential for achieving sustainable development. Citizens were encouraged to actively participate in Gram Sabha proceedings, preparation of GPDPs, waste segregation and proper disposal, elimination of plastic use and effective implementation of government schemes.
Similarly, Special Gram Sabhas were held across Sub-Divisions Gurez and Sumbal, with discussions on local issues, development priorities and effective implementation of government schemes through greater community participation.