MoRD joint secretary reviews rural development schemes during Sikkim visit

GANGTOK,: Pavanesh Kumar Sharma, joint secretary in the Union Ministry of Rural Development, is on a five-day visit to Sikkim to review the implementation of key rural development schemes and assess challenges faced by officials at the grassroots level.

Sharma, who arrived in the State on the evening of October 11, is scheduled to conclude his visit on October 15, the State Rural Development department said.

During his field visits on October 12, he visited a self-help group (SHG) khada-making centre at Namcheybong and interacted with LakhpatiDidis to review their livelihood activities, income-generation initiatives and progress towards economic empowerment.

He also inspected a Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) construction site at Assam Lingzey to assess the progress and quality of work and interact with a beneficiary.

At a VB-G RAM-G worksite in PachaySamsing in Pakyong district, Sharma reviewed ongoing works and interacted with workers and panchayat representatives to assess implementation at the grassroots level.

On October 13, he visited Kyongnosla Gram Panchayat Unit (GPU) to inspect development works and discuss implementation-related issues with local representatives. He also visited Gnathang GPU and inspected an Amrit Sarovar, gaining insights into rural asset creation and the challenges of implementing development programmes in high-altitude areas.

Later, Sharma held a review meeting with officials and scheme heads of the Rural Development Department in Gangtok. The meeting was attended by senior departmental officials, including the principal chief engineer, special secretary and mission director of VB-G RAM-G, special secretary in charge of Swachh Bharat Mission and thedirector of accounts.

Officials presented updates on the implementation status, progress and challenges of key programmes, including the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), VB-G RAM-G, the State Rural Livelihoods Mission (SRLM) and PMAY-G.

Sharma said field visits help officers understand ground realities and practical challenges beyond their respective areas of work, enabling more informed decision-making.

He acknowledged the challenges faced by Sikkim as a hill state, including scattered habitations, adverse weather conditions, a relatively small population and a limited working season. He expressed satisfaction with the commitment and enthusiasm shown by departmental officials and field functionaries in implementing rural development programmes despite these constraints.

During the review meeting, officials apprised him of the key issues encountered in implementing various schemes and the measures being taken to address them. The discussions provided a platform for exchanging views on strengthening programme delivery in the state.

On October 14, Sharma visited a training centre at Lower Syari under the DeenDayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY). He also visited the Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI) at Ralep under Khamdong block, where he met the institute's director and interacted with faculty members.

The visits focused on initiatives aimed at promoting rural livelihoods, skill development and self-employment.

The five-day visit provides an opportunity to assess the implementation of rural development schemes, interact with beneficiaries and local stakeholders, and identify challenges in delivering programme benefits to communities across Sikkim. Sharma is scheduled to conclude his visit on October 15.

The visit provided an opportunity to review the progress of key rural development schemes, interact with beneficiaries and stakeholders, and gain a better understanding of implementation-related challenges, the department said.