BARAMULLA: Director Sericulture J&K, Ajaz Ahmad Bhat, who is also Visiting Officer for Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II), undertook an extensive two days field visit to the border villages of Shahdara and Ghallan in Sub-Division Uri, Baramulla, to assess the ground-level implementation of developmental interventions and interact directly with the local community.
During the visit, the Director undertook a detailed assessment of basic infrastructure, public amenities, connectivity, service delivery, livelihood opportunities and other development requirements of the border villages. The field visit provided an opportunity to assess the actual status of interventions on the ground and identify areas requiring greater inter-departmental convergence and administrative attention.
As part of the visit, Bhat visited Government High School, Shahdara, Government Boys Middle School, Jabda and Government Boys High School, Ghallan, where he reviewed the existing educational infrastructure, availability of basic amenities and developmental requirements of the institutions. He interacted with the staff and took note of the issues and requirements relevant to the schools and the surrounding communities.
A major component of the field visit was the interaction with local residents, PRIs, community representatives and other stakeholders. The Director listened to the concerns, suggestions and development priorities raised by the people and sought first-hand feedback regarding the availability of Government services, infrastructure and connectivity, livelihood and employment opportunities and implementation of various interventions under VVP-II.
Bhat assured the local residents that the issues raised during the interaction would be appropriately recorded and taken up with the concerned departments for necessary action. He stressed that the objective of VVP-II is not merely to implement schemes on paper but to ensure visible and tangible improvement in the quality of life of people living in border villages.
The Director subsequently reviewed the progress of various VVP-II interventions with representatives of the concerned line departments. He directed the officers to ensure effective inter-departmental coordination, close field-level monitoring and time-bound execution of approved works and proposed interventions. He also emphasised the need to identify infrastructure and service delivery gaps and address bottlenecks without delay.
Bhat further directed the concerned departments to maintain updated records of field-level progress, ensure proper coverage of eligible beneficiaries under Government schemes and prepare clear, department-wise action points for addressing the issues identified during the field visit and community interactions.
The Director emphasised that sustained coordination among departments, responsive administration and regular engagement with local communities are essential for achieving the objectives of the Vibrant Villages Programme-II and accelerating socio-economic development in the border areas.
The field visit formed part of the ongoing monitoring, coordination and review mechanism under VVP-II, with focus on ensuring effective implementation of Government interventions and addressing the developmental priorities identified by the people at the grassroots level.
