Lt Governor reviews progress of JJM, SBM (Grameen)

Srinagar, May 10: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Tuesday reviewed the progress of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen (SBM-G) during a high-level meeting with the officials of Union Ministry and UT administration, at the Civil Secretariat.
At the outset, Vini Mahajan, Secretary, Union Ministry of Jal Shakti briefed the chair via a PowerPoint presentation on the status of implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission and SBM-Grameen in the J&K UT. Mahajan highlighted key implementation issues and proposed specific recommendations for further effective implementation of these flagship programs of Government of India.
During the meeting, the Lt Governor expressed his appreciation for the team of Ministry of Jal Shakti for providing valuable insights and recommendations to achieve the desired goals under the flagship missions.
Reiterating the UT administration’s commitment to provide assured basic services to the people living in rural areas, the Lt Governor observed that the effective implementation of both these flagship schemes has a tremendous potential to transform the lives of ordinary citizens in order to make our villages self-sufficient and more sustainable.
The Lt Governor said that Jal Jeevan Mission and SBM is the top priority of GoI and UT administration. He issued explicit directions to the concerned officers to work on a mission mode to provide safe and adequate drinking water and sanitation to all citizens.
“Sufficient resources have been allocated to provide tap water supply to all households by December this year. We need robust institutional arrangements to ensure benefit of common man,” the Lt Governor said.
The Lt Governor directed the Chief Engineers of Jal Shakti Department to expedite the tendering and allotment process for different works under JJM. The Lt Governor called for better synergy between executing agencies to ensure its timely and effective implementation.
On Swachh Bharat Mission, the Lt Governor directed the concerned officers for identifying gaps in implementation and undertaking extensive IEC campaigns to promote various sanitation techniques and bring about a positive behavioural change in the society. The Lt Governor directed officials to move towards expediting ODF Plus achievement in the districts by laying specific focus on implementing suitable mechanisms for village-level waste segregation, scientific solid waste management, greywater management, imposition of ban on plastic use, and making cleanliness campaigns a ‘Jan Andolan’.
During the meeting, Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta set specific timelines for the concerned departments with respect to the completion of targets under Jal Jeevan Mission and impressed upon the concerned officers to work with greater zeal for achieving the desired results.
Ashok Kumar Parmar, Principal Secretary to J&K Government; Jal Shakti Department; Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor; Mandeep Kaur, Commissioner/Secretary, J&K Department Of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj; Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Mission Director, JJM, J&K; S. Charandeep Singh, Director Rural Sanitation, J&K, besides senior officers of Union Ministry of Jal Shakti and UT Administration were present during the review meeting.