ANANTNAG, OCT 22: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting in Anantnag to review developmental progress, winter preparedness and public service delivery, directing the district administration and concerned departments to accelerate ongoing projects, strengthen essential services and ensure time-bound redressal of public grievances. During the visit, the Chief Minister inaugurated public projects and laid foundation stones for developmental works worth ₹52 crore, aimed at strengthening drinking water infrastructure, improving road connectivity and enhancing civic amenities across the district.
Emphasising the need for advance planning and coordinated action ahead of winter, Omar Abdullah directed all concerned departments to establish robust arrangements to minimise public inconvenience during snowfall and severe weather conditions. He stressed close coordination among the Roads and Buildings Department, Mechanical Engineering Department, Municipalities, Urban Local Bodies, PMGSY and other agencies to ensure timely snow clearance and maintain road connectivity. The administration was directed to designate nodal officers and establish clear accountability to ensure that no road remains unattended during snowfall, particularly in vulnerable and remote areas.
The Chief Minister also stressed the need to maintain adequate stocks of essential commodities, strengthen LPG buffer stocks and ensure uninterrupted emergency healthcare services in snow-bound areas. Reviewing electricity supply arrangements, he directed the concerned authorities to adhere strictly to notified power curtailment schedules and inform consumers in advance about unscheduled power cuts. He emphasised that effective coordination and timely preparedness were essential to maintaining essential services and reducing hardships for residents during the winter months.
Reviewing the district’s developmental priorities, the Chief Minister assessed progress across key sectors, including health, education, roads and infrastructure, rural development, power, food and civil supplies, and youth empowerment. He directed officials to expedite the development of industrial estates and streamline the delivery of social welfare assistance to ensure that eligible beneficiaries receive their entitlements without unnecessary delays.
Highlighting the importance of entrepreneurship and employment generation, Omar Abdullah called upon banking institutions to streamline procedures and expedite the disbursement of financial assistance under Mission YUVA. He stressed the need to facilitate young entrepreneurs in establishing their enterprises by removing avoidable procedural bottlenecks and ensuring timely access to institutional support.
The Chief Minister also reviewed the progress of works under the District CAPEX Budget 2026–27, Centrally Sponsored Schemes and the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI). Directing a stronger monitoring mechanism, he called for fortnightly reviews to assess physical progress and financial expenditure, ensure timely utilisation of allocated funds and prevent funds from lapsing because of delays in project execution. He underscored the need for greater accountability among executing agencies so that sanctioned projects are completed within stipulated timelines and deliver tangible benefits to the public.
As part of the developmental initiatives, Omar Abdullah inaugurated three Jal Jeevan Mission water supply schemes at Semthan, costing ₹6.29 crore; Shoul Sarsuna, costing ₹5.66 crore; and Chontipora Baghwanpora, costing ₹5.08 crore. The schemes are aimed at strengthening water supply infrastructure and improving access to safe drinking water for local communities.
He also laid foundation stones for the upgradation of the Ashajipora–Donipawa road, estimated at ₹3.61 crore, and the construction of a steel girder bridge over Nallah Brengi at Her-Kandiwara, costing ₹3.18 crore. The projects are expected to improve road connectivity, facilitate the movement of people and goods and strengthen access to essential services in the concerned areas.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary; Ministers Javed Rana, Javid Dar and Satish Sharma; Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani; MLAs Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, G.A. Mir, Altaf Ahmad Wani, Abdul Majeed Bhat, Zaffar Ali Khatana and Reyaz A. Khan; Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta; Deputy Commissioner Anantnag Bilal Mohiuddin; heads of departments and district officers.
Deputy Commissioner Bilal Mohiuddin presented an overview of the district’s developmental progress and the status of ongoing works. Public representatives highlighted constituency-specific developmental requirements, while various local deputations met the Chief Minister and raised issues concerning their respective areas.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to equitable development, responsive governance and efficient public service delivery, Omar Abdullah assured that priority developmental works would be taken up systematically. He directed the administration to ensure effective follow-up on public grievances, strengthen implementation of government schemes and maintain close monitoring of developmental projects to ensure timely execution and visible improvements in the lives of people across Anantnag.
