Iqbal Ah
SRINAGAR, OCTOBER 02: Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha today inaugurated the ‘Cashless Panchayats,’ marking the adoption of BHIM-UPI mode of transactions in Gram Panchayats across J&K UT.
During the Swachh Bharat Diwas Celebration event organized by the Department of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj at Raj Bhawan, the Lt Governor also presented land allotment orders to landless beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).
On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, a total of 245 landless beneficiaries from across J&K UT received their land allotment orders.
Additionally, 13 Block Development Council buildings were dedicated to PRI representatives as part of the event.
In his address, the Lt Governor expressed heartfelt gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for shaping a new destiny for J&K. He celebrated the historic milestone of J&K UT achieving the ODF Plus status under the ‘Model’ category.
The Lt Governor extended his congratulations to the Rural Development Department, representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions, and citizens for their outstanding efforts in achieving 100% cleanliness and Solid & Liquid Waste Management in all 6650 villages.
He highlighted the implementation of door-to-door waste collection in all Panchayats, the establishment of segregation sheds, and the development of a financial model to ensure the sustainability of waste collection mechanisms, effectively converting waste into wealth.
The Lt Governor emphasized that the growth in rural areas is propelling the socio-economic development of J&K UT, narrowing the gap between villages and cities in terms of facilities, connectivity, and infrastructure.
With a participatory approach, the administration has enhanced social and environmental security and created entrepreneurship opportunities at the grassroots level, he noted.
The inclusion of 4274 Gram Panchayats in J&K on Cashless Mode is part of the government’s initiative to digitize Gram Panchayats, making them more transparent, accountable, and efficient.
The Lt Governor praised the Directorate of Rural Sanitation for its innovative ‘Swachhata Bulletin,’ which monitors and shares daily updates and activities by districts, fostering community involvement and feedback for building a “Swachh and Swasth J&K.”
He directed the Rural Development Department to ensure the continued dynamism of the new sanitation system in rural areas, proper maintenance of the new facilities developed, and continuous monitoring of waste management systems. He emphasized the need for data analysis to manage day-to-day Swachh Gram activities and future requirements using technologies like Artificial Intelligence.
The event also saw the felicitation of Deputy Commissioners and Swachhata Champions for their remarkable contributions to Swachhata campaigns and achieving the ODF Plus Model status.
Furthermore, four booklets under SBM-G on Door to Door Waste Collection Guidelines, Legacy Waste Management Guidelines, Safe Sanitation Index, and Panchayat Sanitation Index were released. Sarpanches of Cashless Panchayats were also honored during the event.
The distinguished gathering included Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Dr. Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor; Ms. Mandeep Kaur, Commissioner/Secretary, Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj; Sh. Vijay Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Deputy Commissioners; HoDs; PRI members; senior officers; Swachhata Champions; and PMAY-G beneficiaries, who participated in person and through virtual mode.
