ANANTNAG, MAY 20: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo today met several public delegations from different areas of Anantnag and Kulgam districts during Public Darbar held at Dak Bungalow Khanabal here and listened patiently to a wide range of public issues and developmental demands.
MLA Pahalgam, Altaf Ahmad Wani (Kaloo); MLA Anantnag-West, Abdul Majeed Bhat (Larmi); MLA Shangus-Anantnag East, Reyaz Ahmad Khan; Programme Officer, CEO, CMO DSWO, Executive Engineers of different departments and other concerned officers of Kulgam and Anantnag districts were also present on the occasion.
During the Public Darbar, the delegations comprising local residents, social activists and community members apprised the Minister of various issues concerning healthcare, education and public welfare sectors in their respective areas. They sought augmentation and strengthening of healthcare facilities in hospitals and primary health institutions, besides deployment of additional medical and paramedical staff to address the shortage of healthcare professionals.
The delegations also highlighted the urgent need for installation of modern diagnostic and medical equipment including X-Ray plants, ECG machines and USG facilities in various hospitals to improve patient care and ensure better medical services at the grassroots level. They further demanded availability of specialist doctors including ENT specialists and pediatricians in peripheral hospitals to cater to the growing healthcare needs of the people.
Several delegations raised issues related to upgradation of infrastructure in schools and hospitals and demanded construction of new school buildings, hospital blocks and improvement of basic facilities in educational and healthcare institutions. They also projected demands for strengthening educational infrastructure to provide better learning environments for students in rural and far-flung areas.
While interacting with the delegations, the Minister gave a patient hearing to all grievances and demands and assured the public that the Government remains committed towards equitable development and strengthening of healthcare and education sectors across Jammu and Kashmir. She said that genuine issues and developmental concerns projected by the people would be examined on priority for appropriate redressal.
The Minister emphasized that the Government is making sustained efforts to improve healthcare delivery and educational infrastructure in underserved areas so that people receive quality services closer to their homes. She reiterated that public outreach programmes provide an important platform for direct interaction with citizens and help the Government understand the pressing issues faced by the people at the grassroots level.
The delegations appreciated the Minister for personally hearing their grievances and expressed hope that their genuine demands would be addressed in a phased and time-bound manner.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the Minister held a detailed meeting with Programme Officer, CEO, CMO DSWO, Executive Engineers and other concerned officers of Kulgam and Anantnag districts and reviewed progress on implementation of various public welfare policies and projects.
Interacting with the officers, the Minister directed them to take immediate cognizance of the issues raised during the meeting and ensure timely follow-up on priority matters for the convenience and welfare of the public.
She also asked them to organise Public Darbar every month in the district so that the demands of previous public meetings can be followed up and evaluated for redressal
The Minister also directed the officers to consult local MLAs before initiating any developmental plans in their respective areas, emphasizing that public representatives are central to driving grassroots development.
While reviewing the health care and education scenario, the Minister directed the concerned CMOs and CEOs to rationalize the staff so that the public institutions are adequately staffed for better public facilitation.
