Rajouri, October 2: Deputy Commissioner Rajouri Abhishek Sharma on Friday presided over a Special Gram Sabha under Reform Utsav at Vibrant Village Pukherni in Sub-Division Nowshera, reaffirming the District Administration’s focus on inclusive development and strengthening grassroots governance in border areas.
ADC Nowshera Pritam Lal Thapa, Akash Garg IAS, Nodal Officer AgriStack, ACD Sheraz Chowhan, BDO Nowshera, officers from various line departments, public representatives and residents attended the Gram Sabha. The Deputy Commissioner said Gram Sabhas should serve as effective platforms for direct interaction between the administration and the people, enabling villagers to identify development priorities, raise local issues and participate actively in decisions concerning their Panchayats.
He stressed that border villages require focused attention and that their geographical location should not prevent access to quality public services, infrastructure and welfare benefits. He called upon departments to ensure saturation of eligible beneficiaries under various Government schemes.
A major focus of the Gram Sabha was the generation of Farmer IDs under the Government of India’s AgriStack Mission. The DC explained that the digital identity would facilitate eligible farmers in accessing agricultural services and Government initiatives.
He urged farmers to come forward and register under AgriStack and directed Revenue and Agriculture functionaries to undertake Farmer ID generation on a mission mode. The officials were asked to conduct village-level mobilisation, assist farmers with registration and ensure that no eligible farmer is left uncovered.
More than 1,000 Farmer IDs were generated across all tehsils of Rajouri district on Friday as part of the drive.
The DC also directed the concerned departments to move beyond routine awareness activities and ensure that information regarding eligibility, entitlements and registration procedures reaches every eligible household.
Referring to the forthcoming Viksit Panchayat Development Plan, Sharma encouraged residents, particularly women and youth, to participate actively in its preparation and submit suggestions reflecting the actual needs and aspirations of the village.
He stressed that development planning should begin at the grassroots, with residents identifying the works and services that are most important for their community.
Officers from various departments briefed the gathering about ongoing welfare schemes, development initiatives, AgriStack Farmer ID registration and the proposed preparation of the Viksit Panchayat Development Plan.
