Union Minister chairs review meeting on Aspirational District
Programme in Baramulla
Inaugurates MRD Registration Center at GMC, Hi-Tech Polygreen
House under HADP
BARAMULLA, JANUARY 28: Union Minister
of State (MoS) for Union Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
(MSME), Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, today chaired a meeting at
Baramulla to review progress on various indicators of NITI Ayog's Aspirational
District Programme (ADP).
The meeting was attended by Member
Legislative Assembly Baramulla, Javed Hassan Beig; Deputy Commissioner
Baramulla, Minga Sherpa; officers from the Ministry of MSME, Labour and
Employment and other officers from the concerned departments. She was apprised
that the district has made remarkable progress in its Delta Ranking, issued by
NITI Aayog, moving from the 108th position to 46th out of 112 districts,
achieving a composite score of 59.3 as on September 2024.
The Minister was further informed
that the education sector in Baramulla has witnessed wholesome progress, with a
substantial increase in student enrolment, especially among girls, a
significant decrease in the dropout rate, with efforts to improve the quality
of education through skill upgradation for teachers, upgrading school
infrastructure, and promoting digital learning with the implementation of smart
classrooms.
The Union Minister had a
comprehensive review of district under Agriculture and Financial Inclusion
besides Skill Development and Infrastructure. She expressed her appreciation
over the progress achieved by Baramulla administration.
Speaking during the meeting, the
Union MoS directed the officers from the Health Department to conduct
comprehensive research to identify the underlying causes of infant and maternal
mortality in the district. She asked for implementing targeted interventions to
ensure further reductions in mortality rates, thereby improving overall
healthcare outcomes.
The Union Minister instructed the
administration to plan for implementation of food processing units in the
region through various government schemes. This will ensure efficient
utilisation of locally produced apples and prevent any wastage during
transportation over long distances, thereby boosting the local economy and
benefiting the farmers.
Shobha Karandlaje asked the officials to
accelerate the execution of developmental projects, particularly those that
support MSMEs, employment generation and livelihood enhancement. She reaffirmed
the Government of India’s commitment to holistic development in Aspirational
Districts through data-driven governance and targeted interventions.
During the meeting, Shobha Karandlaje
distributed various essential resources including computers, smart boards and
other amenities to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and schools, aimed at
enhancing their overall functionality for betterment of the community.
During the visit to Baramulla, Shobha
Karandlaje inaugurated a hi-tech polygreenhouse with a total area spanning 500
square meters at Chakloo, which was sanctioned to the local farmer Dr. Mudasir
Ali through HADP scheme at an estimated subsidy of 95%.
Later, the Union Minister visited
Government Medical College Baramulla,
where she inaugurated the Endo-Urological Equipment at the Associated Hospital
as part of the Aspirational District Programme. The newly introduced equipment
will support advanced urological procedures, enhancing healthcare options for
patients in the region.
The Union Minister also inaugurated
the newly constructed Medical Registration Department’s (MRD) Registration
Centre at GMC Baramulla, aimed at streamlining the patient registration
process.
During her visit, the Minister
interacted with the attendants and sought feedback on the healthcare facilities
being provided to the patients.
Meanwhile, Javed Beigh also raised
several concerns related to water scarcity and other developmental challenges
in the region and sought the intervention of the Union MoS for their timely
resolution.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Minga
Sherpa, presented a comprehensive overview of the district’s performance under
5 key indicators of ADP including Health and Nutrition, Education, Agriculture
and Water Resources, Financial Inclusion and Skill Development besides
Infrastructure.
DC Baramulla highlighted significant
improvements in health and nutrition, including upgradation of existing
facilities and establishment of new health centres, maternal and child
healthcare, reduction in infant and maternal mortality rates, reduction in TB
cases, and effective implementation of Poshan Abhiyan in combating
malnutrition.