In a First, 3 Legislators Hold Joint Review of Developmental Activities in Bandipora District

Bandipora, Dec 06: Three Legislators from Bandipore district on Friday convened a first of its kind joint meeting to review developmental activities of Bandipora district.

The three legislators representing Bandipora District—MLA Gurez Nazir Ahmad Khan, MLA Bandipora Nizam-ud-Din Bhat, and MLA Sonawari Hilal Akbar Lone—conducted the joint review of the district’s developmental scenario and the progress of various schemes and projects at the Mini Secretariat, Bandipora.

This is for the first time that legislators of three different constituencies have conducted a joint review. An official spokesperson legislators took the opportunity to highlight a range of pressing issues affecting their respective constituencies.

Senior Congress law maker Nizamuddin Bhat while talking to Kashmir Convener about the meeting, said  there are some common issues for the district as a whole. He said basic purpose was to identify those common areas and in cooperation with each other wanted to project those common areas and seek resolutions.

Citing examples, Bhat said the demand for National Highway status to Sumbal-Bandipora-Tulail road is for the entire district and concerns all constituencies besides upliftment of facilities at District Hospital Bandipora. He said during the meeting everybody acknowledged responsibility and wanted to jointly press for issues of public importance.

Bhat said there are some common public grievances related to infrastructure, “we wanted common efforts and wanted administration to be apprised for common good”.

“Similarly there is a synergy needed in various departments which fall in different areas of the district and we needed to have common knowledge about various projects under execution by various departments in various areas but  serving the whole district whole. So the joint meeting was need of the hour,” he added.

The legislators said they were glad that a good effort was made.

During the meeting legislators sought comprehensive responses and detailed Action Taken Reports (ATRs) from the sectoral officers, emphasizing accountability and the need for prompt redressal of public grievances.

Specific concerns were raised regarding delays in project implementation, gaps in service delivery, and the effectiveness of ongoing welfare schemes.

The legislators underscored the importance of inter-departmental coordination and proactive measures to address these challenges, ensuring tangible outcomes that align with public expectations.

Several critical public welfare issues were raised during the meeting, covering departments such as Jal Shakti, Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC), Power Development Department (PDD), Health, Education, Agriculture, Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution (CAPD), Rural Development Department (RDD), and others.

The legislators emphasized the importance of efficient resource utilization to maximize public benefit and urged district officers to expedite the pace of ongoing projects. They also called for prioritizing the resolution of public grievances and enhancing awareness about available government schemes to alleviate the challenges faced by the people.

Discussions during the meeting also included the works and funds provided by NHPC under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

Earlier In his welcome address, Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Manzoor Ahmad Qadri, provided a comprehensive briefing on the status of ongoing projects, key initiatives, and developmental schemes through a detailed PowerPoint presentation. The legislators conducted a constituency-wise and scheme-wise review of developmental works.

The meeting was attended by ADDC Mohammad Ashraf Bhatt, ACR Shabir Ahmad Wani, ACD Irfan Bahadur, CPO Mohammad Maqbool Lone, district officers from various departments, the General Manager of NHPC, and other concerned officials.