- Principal Secretary Shri Sonmani Bora took the state level departmental meeting
- Septic tanks of ashram-hostels should be cleaned through urban bodies.
- Instructions to strengthen the arrangements of ashram-hostels
- Assistant Commissioners have been given two months’ time to ensure proper repairs, painting, electricity and water supply.
- Lakhs of students benefited from the new scholarship system, now the system is online to make it transparent
- Instructions given to resolve pending forest rights cases within 15 days
A high-level review meeting of the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Caste, Other Backward Class and Minority Development Department was held today at the Ministry under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary, Mr. Sonmani Bora. The meeting thoroughly reviewed various development works, including departmental schemes, income and expenditure, and future action plans.
The Principal Secretary praised the districts doing better work in the departmental schemes, while he directed to issue show cause notices to the Assistant Commissioners of four districts Baloda Bazar, Bemetara, Jashpur and Bilaspur for not utilizing the budget allocation for various items.
He stressed the need to prioritize the arrangements for the ashram hostels, keeping in mind the upcoming academic session. Mr. Bora directed that all necessary facilities, including repairs, painting, toilets, drinking water, and electricity, be ensured within the next two months. He also directed the installation of fire extinguishers and CCTV cameras in the hostels.
He also called for incorporating meditation and yoga under “Project Sankalp” to further strengthen students’ cultural, mental, and moral development. He also directed that septic tanks be cleaned using suction machines through municipal bodies, instead of manually.
The meeting expressed satisfaction with the effective implementation of the scholarship scheme. It was reported that under the new system, in the last session, 72 percent of scholarship funds were transferred directly to the accounts of 3.3 lakh students by December and 99 percent by March 31st, smoothly and on time. To make this system more transparent, the entire process will soon be made online. Under this system, students will not be required to submit hard copies and fraud will also be prevented.
While reviewing the Forest Rights Act, the Principal Secretary directed that all pending cases be resolved within 15 days through Gram Sabhas. While reviewing construction works, he directed that approved projects be completed within the stipulated timeframe. He also said that site inspections must be conducted before submitting proposals for new ashram and hostel buildings, to avoid future disputes. He also said that previously proposed hostels in the Bastar region should now be constructed on priority.
In the meeting, instructions were given to ensure that no seat remains vacant in the Eklavya and Prayas residential schools. Emphasis was also placed on selecting excellent schools under the Jawahar Utkarsh Yojana. Reviewing the progress of the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana, PM Janman, Dharti Aba Gram Utkarsh, Devgudi, and Akhara Vikas Yojanas, instructions were given to complete the work expeditiously and with quality.
Joint Secretary Shri B.K. Rajput, Shri Anupam Trivedi, Financial Advisor Shri Neeraj Mishra, Additional Director Shri Sanjay Gaur, Shri Jitendra Gupta, Shri R.S. Bhoi along with departmental officers and Assistant Commissioners of all the districts were present in the meeting.