SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 29: Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, Mohammad Aijaz Asad, today chaired a meeting to review preparations for the nationwide Reform Utsav, to be observed on October 2 as part of the People’s Plan Campaign (PPC).
The meeting was attended by Secretary in RDD, Rachna Sharma; DG Rural Sanitation, Anu Malhotra; Mission Director NRLM, Shubhra Sharma; Directors RDD Kashmir and Jammu, Reyaz Ahmad Wani and Shahnaz Akhtar; CEO IWMP, Rajnish Kumar; COO Himayat, Rifat Kohli; senior officers, all ACDs, ACPs and other concerned officials.
The Secretary stressed that Reform Utsav should go beyond a ceremonial exercise and become a platform for taking governance reforms closer to citizens at the grassroots.
He directed the RDD&PR Department, as the nodal department, to coordinate with all concerned line departments for organising Special Gram Sabhas in every Panchayat across J&K on October 2. He said the Gram Sabhas should enable citizens to understand key reforms, their practical benefits and the development priorities of their respective areas.
Reviewing the preparations, Asad directed ACDs and ACPs to coordinate with their respective Deputy Commissioners and convene inter-departmental meetings on priority to finalise arrangements. He also directed that scheme-specific IEC material should reach every Panchayat well before the event and that all designated nodal officers should be fully conversant with their responsibilities.
The meeting reviewed IEC material, creatives, banners, radio jingles and audiovisual content relating to VB-G RAM G, Lakhpati Didi, IWMP, Panchayati Raj and SBM-G. The Secretary directed that communication should focus on clearly explaining what has changed under the reforms and how these changes benefit rural households, rather than merely reproducing scheme guidelines.
While reviewing VB-G RAM G communication, he directed officers to highlight key reforms relating to employment, wages, attendance and planning, besides displaying sanctioned works and explaining the planning process. For Lakhpati Didi, he called for showcasing the success stories of rural women along with information on available support and opportunities.
The Secretary also directed every ACP to create special group titled “Reform Utsav”, including all BDOs and Panchayat Secretaries, for seamless dissemination of IEC material, instructions and updates to every Panchayat.
Calling for close supervision, Asad directed officers to ensure broad participation, proper documentation of proceedings and timely reporting, emphasising that the Special Gram Sabhas should be meaningful, participatory and focused on taking reforms to the people.
