First CM to hold public darbar at Bandipora in 30 yrs

Keeping his promise to take the government to doorsteps of the people, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today held an open public darbar at Bandipora which was attended by over 3,000 individuals and scores of deputations.

Srinagar, June 23: Keeping his promise to take the government to doorsteps of the people, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today held an open public darbar at Bandipora which was attended by over 3,000 individuals and scores of deputations.

Reiterating his commitment to keep constant rapport with the public and move the administration out of the Secretariat and provincial offices to villages, the Chief Minister said on-the-spot appraisal of public needs and redressal of their grievances will be the benchmark of his governance.

Transcending all security barriers, Abdullah mingled with the people and patiently heard each individual and deputation, who brought to his notice various issues of community and individual nature.

The public darbar at Bandipora, first in the last three decades held by any Chief Minister, was attended by Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Minister for Health, Horticulture and Floriculture, Sham Lal Sharma, Political Advisor to the Chief Minister, Davendar Singh Rana, legislators, Nazir Ahmad Gurezi and Nizam-ud-Din Bhat, Chief Secretary, S. S. Kapur, Director General of Police, Kuldeep Khoda, Financial Commissioner, Planning, S. L. Bhat, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, Principal Secretary, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, A. K. Angurana, Commissioner/Secretary, R&B, Mehboob Iqbal, Secretary, School Education, G. A. Peer, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Masaud Samoon, various other Commissioner/Secretaries and Secretaries of public service departments, HoDs of most of the departments, Chief Engineers of all engineering disciplines, besides the Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora.

Abdullah gave on-the-spot directions for redressal of various grievances and ordered for accommodating development demands presented by the deputations and individuals in the district and State Plans, adding wherever required, special proposals should be sent to him for further action.

Besides the cases of individual nature, demands for up-gradation of Sumbal-Bandipora and Sunder-Bandipora roads, creation of separate hydraulic division for Bandipora, granting a degree and polytechnic colleges in the district, up-gradation of various schools, construction of healthcare buildings, improvement in drinking water facility, creation of another development block, placing of staff for newly-created Bandipora Degree College, starting science and commerce streams in the college, installation of new power-feeders, strengthening of flood protection bunds, upgrading of civic amenities in Bandipora town, creation of tourism development authority, construction of Gujjar hostel and development of fishermen colony were presented to the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister enquired about the status of each work pointed out by the public to officers who gave details of the projects and timeframe for their completion. He emphasized the need for completing all works in a targeted timeframe and asked the officers to formulate proposals for various demands projected by the people during the open darbar.

Abdullah said that during the tenure of his government, holding of such darbars will form a permanent feature and the gap between administration and the public would be reduced to zero level so that policy planning will be framed according to the public needs in particular areas. This will also give ample opportunity to the top brass bureaucrats to get firsthand appraisal of the problems of people in rural and far-flung areas.

Earlier, Chief Minister surprised everyone when he reached Bandipora town by road. Instead of utilizing helicopter service to reach the town, Abdullah chose to travel by road and get appraisal of various public needs by interacting with people en route. He talked to various people at Safapora, Hajjan, Ajas, Manasbal, Ganderbal, Borus and Gratbal.

The people welcomed the Chief Minister’s decision to take the government to villages and remote areas for assessing public needs and formulating plans accordingly. They hailed Abdullah’s patience to hear large number of people and showing response to each one of them who presented him their cases at public darbar.