JAMMU: While listening to the concerns raised by the District Development Council (DDC) Chairpersons of the Jammu division today, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo promised them that the LG Administration would do everything within its power to support this democratic institution in the UT. The commissioner secretary for housing and urban development and the principal secretary for finance from the RDD departments were also present at this meeting. These Chairpersons jointly presented a memo to the Chief Secretary for his consideration during this meeting. They also brought up with him the matters concerning their individual districts in order to get an early resolution. The demands made by the council chairs regarding the revalidation of their grant savings for the purpose of implementing additional welfare initiatives in their respective constituencies were brought up.Additionally, they each requested additional funding for projects that were being carried out in their districts. With an emphasis on creating job opportunities for young people, these representatives also worked to resolve other developmental requirements in their respective areas. The Chief Secretary urged them to expedite their planning and begin the tendering process well in advance of the April start of the working season during his remarks. He gave them his word that the Finance department would approve the savings from the competitive tendering process, provided they were shared with them beforehand, so that they could use the money for additional development projects in their areas. Dulloo also stated that he would be personally visiting each of their respective regions in the coming weeks to engage with locals and public representatives. Additionally, he mentioned that they ought to be more involved in the vital planning and oversight tasks required for any area’s development. In addition, he instructed them to collaborate with the administration to ensure the general advancement of their regions. In recognition of their role in resolving people’s daily issues, he called them a crucial link between the public and administration and promised to give them more influence over all pertinent aspects of governance in their respective DDC constituencies throughout J&K.
