By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 6 Jan: A meeting of the Rural Development and Migration Prevention Commission was held at the Secretariat here, today, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
The Chief Minister said on the occasion that a comprehensive action plan needed to be prepared in a scientific manner to prevent migration in the state. For rapid growth in the livelihood of the people in the hill areas, such plans would have to be prepared on a wide scale. Small and medium scale industries are being promoted in the hill areas by the government, he said. He added that, along with increasing the livelihood opportunities for the people in the hill areas, continuous efforts are also being made to strengthen education and health facilities. Continuous efforts are also being made to promote industry, tourism, agriculture and horticulture.
Dhami said, “People who are connecting others with self-employment as well as self-employment in the hills by undertaking reverse migration should be encouraged. In order to prevent migration from rural areas, there is a need to pay special attention to schemes focused on villages. The common people should get the full benefit of the schemes of the Central and State Governments related to increasing livelihood resources and infrastructure development in rural areas.”
Vice President of Rural Development and Migration Prevention Commission Dr SS Negi disclosed that, so far, 19 reports have been submitted by the commission to the state government. The report on Udham Singh Nagar district would also be submitted soon. He said that the trend of reverse migration is increasing in the state. Dinesh Rawat, a member Commission, suggested that in order to promote agriculture and horticulture in the state, protective measures needed to be taken to protect the crops from wild animals. The CM Solar Self Employment Scheme would also have to be further promoted.
Member Suresh Suyal suggested that Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) should be promoted in the villages. Youth and women would have to be linked to maximum self-employment in the hills. Ram Prakash Panuli suggested that there ancient temples along the Char Dham Yatra routes be connected in order to give further boost to religious tourism and also increase the livelihood of the people at the local level. To promote self-employment, nodal officers would have to be appointed in every district. Ranjana Rawat suggested that MSMEs be proactively promoted in the hills. Improved quality seeds should be available to the farmers on time and subsidy given on high quality seeds if they are buying the seeds from private venders. Anil Shahi said that efforts would have to be made on taking forward the development schemes considering the villages as the centre. To promote border area tourism, adequate attention needed to be given to starting the Seemaant Darshan scheme.
Additional Chief Secretary Radha Raturi, Secretary BVRC Purshottam, and Additional Secretary Neetika Khandelwal were among those present on the occasion.
