SRINAGAR, AUGUST 07 (KNO) : Advisor to the Governor, Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, today emphasized close coordination between Government and Civil Society Organizations (CSO) for better delivery of welfare programs meant to provide benefits to the general masses particularly the lesser privileged classes. The Advisor was addressing a one-day Conference of NITI Aayog, J&K Government and CSOs from the State.
The Conference was organized by Social Welfare Department and was coordinated by Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS). Officials from Central Government who attended the Conference included Special Secretary NITI Aayog Yudwender Mathur, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Women & Child Development, Ajay Tirkey, National Coordinator, CSO, PRAYAS JAC, Amodh K Kant, DDG (Evaluation), NITI Aayog, Rakesh Ranjan and Director, National Rural Health Mission, Vidisha. Addressing the select gathering, the Advisor called for institutionalizing a mechanism within the Government that would enable the CSOs to work in close tandem with various government departments and play their part in successful implementation of schemes for the disadvantaged sections of the society.
“Better synergy between Civil Society Organizations and Government agencies will provide fillip to better delivery of welfare schemes to the people in the state,” he added. The Advisor expressed satisfaction over the positive health indicators in the State and added that good work is being done in the sector, especially in maternity and child-care segments despite huge challenges on this front. Speaking at length over the literacy rate in the state, Ganai said in upper primary segment and high-end higher secondary level, there is a need to make further improvement.
He said the Government will ensure that quality education is imparted to every child, especially girls, so that they are able to perform and compete at the cutting-edge level, both within the State and nationally. Referring to pending cases/sanctions pertaining to differently-abled, poor senior citizens, widows and destitute in the Social Welfare Department, the Advisor assured that the same will be cleared in phases. The Advisor said he was confident that the exchange of ideas between participants would provide a workable roadmap to improve the delivery of welfare programmes.
The conference was organized to review the activities and implementation of Centrally-sponsored schemes and to know about the difficulties faced by CSOs in creating awareness about these schemes. During the session, delegates of NITI Aayog made a presentation which indicated that J&K has done exceptionally well in the implementation of schemes, particularly in health and primary education sectors. It was revealed that the J&K matches the best performing States in the entire country and attained one of the top ranks in health sector at national level last year.
Principal Secretary Health and Medical Education Dr Pawan Kotwal, Principal Secretary Planning Development and Monitoring Department Rohit Kansal, Special DGP VK Singh, Commissioner Secretary Roads and Buildings Khurshid Ahmad Shah, Secretary Social Welfare Farooq A Lone, Secretary Rural Development Department Sheetal Nanda, Secretary Information Technology Saugat Biswas, Secretary Tourism and School Education Rigzian Samphael, Secretary Social Welfare Board Khalid Hussain Malik, Director General Health Kashmir Dr Saleem ur Rehman, Principal Government Medical College Srinagar Dr Samia Rashid, Commissioner for Persons for Disabilities M I Lone, Mission Director ICDS Veer Ji Hanglu, Mission Director Women Empowerment Rifat Arif, Director School Education Kashmir GN Yatoo, Director Technical Education, Executive Director Rehabilitation Council Zahoor Mir, Managing Director, JK Women’s Development Corporation, Nahid Soz, Mission Director SRLM, CEO Himayat Abdul Rashid War, Mission Director ICPS Shafat Sultan and other dignitaries attended the conference.