Srinagar, Oct 13 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said his administration is determined to help rural areas of the Union Territory break free from shackles of underdevelopment and make them self-reliant.

The LG reviewed the status of projects and schemes of the Rural Development Department during a high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat.

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Sinha directed the officers to give preference to Self-Help Groups in procurement to increase women entrepreneurship and to harness the tremendous potential of the villages for building a strong foundation of Aatma-Nirbhar (self-reliant) Jammu Kashmir.

"We are determined to break free rural areas of the shackles of underdevelopment and make them self-reliant. Administration at all levels must work with dedication, determination and faith to resolve the bottlenecks and transform the face of rural Jammu Kashmir," he asserted.

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"While implementing various schemes, we must adopt the common approach for effective execution. Our efforts should be aimed at creation of strong rural economy that offers employment opportunities, generates more income for the rural families and creates wealth for everyone," the Lt Governor told the officials.

"Senior officers must ensure that the employment and livelihood generation schemes are being implemented effectively on the ground, and utilize resources for skilling and capacity building of the members of Self-Help Groups," he added.

It was informed that Jammu and Kashmir has 41 per cent of its works under convergence which demonstrates the positive initiatives and progress of the Union Territory.

The Lt Governor passed explicit directions for speeding up the tendering process, clearing pending payments under MGNREGA and other liabilities. He further directed the Commissioner/Secretary, Rural Development Department to monitor the implementation of District Plans.

Discussing the emerging issues and challenges in the rural development sector and the way forward, the Lt Governor directed the officers to work in close coordination with the PRI members and the local residents in order to meet the developmental aspirations of public and their representatives.

Sinha instructed the department to conduct a survey to identify the homeless people and those having 'kutcha' houses, and advised replicating the best practices of other states and Union Territories under PMAY-G.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)