SRINAGAR: The District Development Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary flagged off a team of Visiting Officers on Back to Village Phase 3rd (B2V3)programme which commenced today in four Gram Panchayats of district Srinagar.
Speaking on the occasion, DDC said that B2V3 is a flagship programme aims to maximize government’s reach out to the public to listen to their demands, proposals, suggestions and address their grievances. He said various grievances of the people were solved during the previous two phases of the B2V programme.
Today, the B2V3 programme commence in four Gram Panchayats which are Lasjan-A, Khanmoh –A in Srinagar Block and in Harwon block at Dara-B and Theed-A Gram Panchayats in which the Social Welfare, Agriculture, Fisheries departments and Rural Development Department besides J&K Bank and other line departments participated.
The participating officers interacted with the general public and heard their grievances besides sharing information with them about various welfare and beneficiary schemes run by these departments.
At Panchayat Halqa Lasgan A, visiting officer, JD Directorate of Rural Development, Kashmir, Rifat Iqbal Qureshi constituted various teams of officers to take the first hand cognizance of issues faced by the people in the area.
The programme witnessed huge participation of locals at Khanmoh. ‘The participation of common people in the B2V3 Programme here is encouraging’, said Panchayat Secretary Naseema Hamdani.
In Panchayat Theed A of block Harwan people had assembled in the courtyard of Sericulture office and were busyin putting forth their demands and suggestions before the visiting officer.
The officer in turn was substantiating from locals about the amount of work done out of the targets taken from last two phases. A major amount of work was found tobe accomplished. Many of the rural development works benefitting the population were madepart of the plan for which government has released funds from time to time.
“Our village has put forth a demand for construction of retaining wall for Nallah Molurithat got completed under B2V1” said Riyaz Ahmad, a local resident. A road going to Warpora village was also constructed as per the demand raised by the villagers during previous phases, claimed the Engineer of Rural Development department.
For this phase a list of demands to be included in the future plans was put forth for this Gram panchayat. More than 20 works has been suggested by the villagers to be taken up under B2V3 programme. The works include desilting of Mavas Canal, construction of road from Dachigam to Ziyarat Shareef New Theed, construction of drain from Rajpora to Dachigam, construction of harvesting tank at Theed-A.
The representatives of line departments like PWD, Jal Shakti, Rural Development, Power, Social Welfare, Education were available to inform people about the different welfare schemes rolled out by Centre or UT government. Banners and brochures were kept available by the Horticulture, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry departments for the dissemination of information among the prospective beneficiaries.
Similarly the programme is going to make people aware about the simplified ways and means of availing the government services and facilities at doorsteps. The programme also envisages helping the local population living in far off places toknow about the specific schemes by virtue of which their day to day issues regarding the upgrading of rural infrastructure and income could be achieved.
The responsibility of visiting officers during the programme includes the dissemination of information about the Centrally and UT sponsored schemes, checking of functioning of panchayats, inspections of works, ensuring prompt public delivery system, ensuring proper grievances redressal system in place and involvement of community in the planning process. All these tasks are going to be accomplished in the coming days of this 3-day village carnival.

KR Desk