Dehradun: Chief Minister’s Principal/Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan has directed officials to operate cold storages through self-help groups (SHGs), identify areas deprived of mobile networks, and operationalize the Tyuni sub-district hospital by November 15. He stated that while preparing proposals for development schemes, an assessment of their necessity, utility, and economic viability must be made mandatory.
Chairing a review meeting via video conferencing at the secretariat with district magistrates and officials of various departments on Tuesday, the Chief Secretary directed all DMs to conduct a cost-benefit analysis before sending any proposal to the government to ensure a clear evaluation of the scheme’s actual utility and anticipated benefits.
Self-Help Groups to Be Imparted Technical Competence
In view of practical problems encountered in operating cold storages, the Chief Secretary directed that arrangements be made to run them through well-performing self-help groups. He stated that groups should be provided with the necessary technical competence and expertise to run cold storages. Furthermore, an immediate assessment of current and future cold storage requirements in the state should be conducted to prepare requisite proposals.
Survey of Network-Deficient Areas
The Chief Secretary instructed a comprehensive survey of urban and rural locations deprived of mobile networks to prepare a list of such areas. District magistrates were asked to make information regarding all such areas available to the government soon. A detailed description of network-free sections on national and state highways should also be prepared, clearly specifying the exact kilometer range where mobile networks are unavailable.
He directed the Information Technology Department to procure necessary information from the Department of Telecommunications as well, so that an effective action plan can be formulated to provide mobile connectivity in network-deficient areas.
Tyuni Sub-District Hospital to Open by November 15
The Chief Secretary instructed that the Tyuni sub-district hospital in Dehradun district must be made operational without fail by November 15. He stated that arrangements for necessary staff including doctors, equipment, and other basic facilities for running the hospital should be completed on time so that people in the region can receive better healthcare services locally.
Emphasis on School Cleanliness and Basic Amenities
The Chief Secretary directed prioritizing sanitation systems in schools. He stated that regular cleaning of the entire school premises, including toilets, must be ensured to provide students with a clean environment. Suggestions to increase the untied funds allocated to principals as per requirement were discussed so that cleaning and maintenance can be managed in alignment with local needs. He also instructed prioritizing works related to repairing school buildings and constructing new ones.
Principal Secretaries R.K. Sudhanshu, Amit Kumar Sinha, Sahdev Singh, Secretaries Shailesh Bagoli, Nitesh Kumar Jha, Dilip Jawalkar, Dr. B.V.R.C. Purushottam, Dr. Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Dr. Ranjeet Kumar Sinha, Brijesh Kumar Sant, Dr. R. Rajesh Kumar, Vinay Shankar Pandey, Dr. S.N. Pandey, Vinod Kumar सुमन, Deepak Kumar, Sridhar Babu Addanki, C. Ravishankar, Yugal Kishore Pant, Ranbir Singh Chauhan, Dr. Ahmed Iqbal, Ranjana Rajguru, Rajendra Kumar, Garhwal Divisional Commissioner Anand Swarup, Kumaon Divisional Commissioner Deepak Rawat, along with district magistrates of various districts, were present at the meeting.
