Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday visited Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal under the Centre's public outreach programme.
On the occasion, the Minister distributed financial assistance under various schemes including Higher Education Assistance by the Labour Department and Housing for All (Urban), an amount of Rs 12.35 lakh among the beneficiaries.
The Union Minister also handed over sanction letters under PMEGP, hearing aids, prosthetics and orthotics, wheelchairs, land passbooks, income certificates, Golden Cards, sports kits, and sanction letters for the construction of Trout and Carp fish ponds at Mini Secretariat Ganderbal among the beneficiaries.
Sonowal visited stalls installed by various departments to showcase their products and schemes being offered on the lawn of Mini Secretariat Complex Ganderbal.
Sonowal took a round of the stalls along with DDC Vice-Chairperson, Bilal Ahmad, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Shyambir, Director AYUSH, Dr Mohan Singh, SSP Ganderbal, Nikhil Borkar and other officers who keenly observed the local products and enquired about the schemes, especially that offer livelihood opportunity to the locals. Earlier, the minister also launched an e-Rickshaw service in the town from mini Secretariat Ganderbal.
Speaking to the media persons on the occasion, Sonowal said that Union Government has given special focus to the UT of J-K and under the ample guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the development, peace and security are going at the same pace in the UT.
Later, the Minster visited Boys Higher Secondary School Manigam where he witnessed the Yoga session and also visited DEMO herbal garden developed within the School premises.
The Minister also inaugurated a road from Khurhama to Chewa of length 3.20 km being constructed at the cost of Rs 222.90 lakh under PMGSY and a road to Kachnambal from NHW via Chinner of length 3.65 km constructed at the cost of Rs 311.95 Under PMGSY phase III.
The Minister also visited the stalls installed by the Directorate of AYUSH on the lawn of BHSS Manigam which displayed various locally grown medicinal plants to overcome nutritional deficiencies besides catering to therapeutic uses. The Minister also distributed medicinal plants among the locals under AYUSH National Mission.
On the occasion, the locals demanded Health and Wellness centre in the area, he assured them the demand would be fulfilled in a time-bound manner.
While interacting with the locals, the Minister said that the Union government has taken various steps to ensure peace, development and security in the J-K and in this regard various schemes are launched under the guidance of the Prime Minister. He sought the cooperation of all towards full filling the dream of PM Modi of making India self-reliant.
Speaking on the occasion Sonowal said, "Kashmir is even more beautiful when it is peaceful, secured and on the path of rapid growth. Under the dynamic leadership of PM Modi, the people in the entire region from Jammu to Kashmir to Ladakh have become important stakeholders in our quest to become an Atmanirbhar country by the end of the Amrit Kaal."
"Due to the hard work and sincere effort of PM Modi, the region has seen peaceful days where life is secure as people join the effort to build a new India and bring prosperity and development to the region," he added.
(With Inputs from ANI)
