KATHUA, Dec 7: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh has instructed the district administration to initiate a focused campaign against illegal mining and drug trafficking, citing that these issues have tarnished Kathua’s reputation.
He also announced that the first Government Homeopathy College in North India will start accepting students in Kathua this year. Furthermore, he stated that an anticipated Army recruitment event will take place here in March.
During a meeting regarding Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) with district administration and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), the Union Minister received updates on the implementation of various schemes as part of the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee Meeting (DISHA) held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
In his address, Dr. Jitendra Singh directed officials to collaborate actively with local MLAs and PRIs to ensure the effective execution of schemes related to water, electricity, health, and education. He emphasized that projects concerning roads, water, and electricity should be prioritized to minimize inconvenience for residents. Dr. Singh insisted that both officials and public representatives must conduct field visits jointly to address issues promptly.
The Union Minister recommended that the Public Works Department (PWD) coordinate closely with the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to resolve bottlenecks in ongoing road projects, including the Basohli Highway. He highlighted the necessity for maintaining high material quality for road construction. Additionally, he instructed that project timelines aimed at enhancing connectivity are strictly followed.
Regarding the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Grameen (PMAY-G), Dr. Jitendra Singh stressed the importance of achieving complete saturation of the housing scheme. He urged officials to visit villages to assess the status of houses constructed under this initiative and to identify locations without any completed houses. He emphasized that these areas must be addressed without delay.
The Union Minister encouraged MLAs to raise awareness about the benefits of the PM SVANidhi scheme in their constituencies to enroll more beneficiaries. He noted that Narendra Modi’s administration is the first to offer incentives to street vendors for dignified livelihood. Similarly, he proposed organizing awareness camps for schemes like PM-Kisan and PM Fasal Bima Yojana to motivate more farmers to benefit from these programs. He mentioned that the PM Vishwakarma scheme should be promoted and recommended organizing festivals to raise awareness about lavender cultivation.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also called for a multi-agency effort to tackle the pressing issues of drug abuse and illegal mining, which have brought disgrace to Kathua.
The DISHA meeting was attended by several notable figures, including MLA Kathua Dr. Bharat Bhushan; MLA Barnoti Rajiv Jasrotia; MLA Hiranagar Vijay Sharma; MLA Basohli Darshan Singh; MLA Bani Rameshwar Singh; DDC Chairperson Mahan Singh; DDC Vice Chairperson Raghunandan Singh; SSP Kathua Shobhit Saxena; and various departmental officers from the district administration.
