Union Minister chairs review meeting on Aspirational District Programme in Baramulla

BARAMULLA : Union Minister of State (MoS) for Union Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, on Tuesday chaired a meeting at Baramulla to review progress on various indicators of NITI Ayog’s Aspirational District Programme (ADP).
The meeting was attended by Member Legislative Assembly Baramulla, Javed Hassan Beig; Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Minga Sherpa; officers from the Ministry of MSME, Labour and Employment and other officers from the concerned departments. She was apprised that the district has made remarkable progress in its Delta Ranking, issued by NITI Aayog, moving from the 108th position to 46th out of 112 districts, achieving a composite score of 59.3 as on September 2024.
The Minister was further informed that the education sector in Baramulla has witnessed wholesome progress, with a substantial increase in student enrolment, especially among girls, a significant decrease in the dropout rate, with efforts to improve the quality of education through skill upgradation for teachers, upgrading school infrastructure, and promoting digital learning with the implementation of smart classrooms.
The Union Minister had a comprehensive review of district under Agriculture and Financial Inclusion besides Skill Development and Infrastructure. She expressed her appreciation over the progress achieved by Baramulla administration.
Speaking during the meeting, the Union MoS directed the officers from the Health Department to conduct comprehensive research to identify the underlying causes of infant and maternal mortality in the district. She asked for implementing targeted interventions to ensure further reductions in mortality rates, thereby improving overall healthcare outcomes.
The Union Minister instructed the administration to plan for implementation of food processing units in the region through various government schemes. This will ensure efficient utilisation of locally produced apples and prevent any wastage during transportation over long distances, thereby boosting the local economy and benefiting the farmers.
Shobha Karandlaje asked the officials to accelerate the execution of developmental projects, particularly those that support MSMEs, employment generation and livelihood enhancement. She reaffirmed the Government of India’s commitment to holistic development in Aspirational Districts through data-driven governance and targeted interventions.
During the meeting, Shobha Karandlaje distributed various essential resources including computers, smart boards and other amenities to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and schools, aimed at enhancing their overall functionality for betterment of the community.
During the visit to Baramulla, Shobha Karandlaje inaugurated a hi-tech polygreenhouse with a total area spanning 500 square meters at Chakloo, which was sanctioned to the local farmer Dr. Mudasir Ali through HADP scheme at an estimated subsidy of 95%.
Later, the Union Minister visited Government Medical College Baramulla, where she inaugurated the Endo-Urological Equipment at the Associated Hospital as part of the Aspirational District Programme. The newly introduced equipment will support advanced urological procedures, enhancing healthcare options for patients in the region.
The Union Minister also inaugurated the newly constructed Medical Registration Department’s (MRD) Registration Centre at GMC Baramulla, aimed at streamlining the patient registration process.
During her visit, the Minister interacted with the attendants and sought feedback on the healthcare facilities being provided to the patients.
Meanwhile, Javed Beigh also raised several concerns related to water scarcity and other developmental challenges in the region and sought the intervention of the Union MoS for their timely resolution.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Minga Sherpa, presented a comprehensive overview of the district’s performance under 5 key indicators of ADP including Health and Nutrition, Education, Agriculture and Water Resources, Financial Inclusion and Skill Development besides Infrastructure.
DC Baramulla highlighted significant improvements in health and nutrition, including upgradation of existing facilities and establishment of new health centres, maternal and child healthcare, reduction in infant and maternal mortality rates, reduction in TB cases, and effective implementation of Poshan Abhiyan in combating malnutrition.