J-K administration decided to launch 'Back to Village 2' after successful phase 1: Kansal

Jammu and Kashmir Principal Secretary (Planning Commission) Rohit Kansal on Wednesday said that the administration has decided to launch 'Back to Village 2' (B2V2) after the successful phase 1 of the initiative.

"In June 2019, the administration in Jammu and Kashmir decided to embark on initiative Back to Village. This was a unique project. The programme involved deputing nearly 5,000 gazetted officers, one for every Panchayat who would then stay for two days and one night in the village," Kansal told reporters here.

"After the programme was completed, we were overwhelmed with the response to Back to Village- 1 program was enthusiastic... Encouraged by the response, we have now decided to embark on a second phase Back to Village-2."

The Back of Village-2 will begin from November 25.

"Strengthening grassroots democracy, participatory dev principal aim of B2V: Pr Secy Rohit Kansal in a presser. #Back2Village2 to begin from Nov 25; Over 5000 gazetted officers to visit far-flung areas. 'Rs 1000 Cr devolved to Panchayats, Rs 700 Cr in pipeline," Department of Information and Public Relations, J-K tweeted.

Kansal said that B2V2 would be more intense than B2V1 as officers are being sent to Panchayats with specific objectives.

"It is going to be more intense than B2V1 because the officers will not interact with villagers they will also look at four specific things- they will look at follow up of BtoV1, secondly they will look into empowering and energising Panchayats. Thirdly, 5,000 officers will go to every panchayat of J-K to far-flung areas and will spend 2 days and 1 night there," he said.

"Fourth, people are going there with objections on objectives such as doubling farmer income by 2022 and 100% coverage of individual beneficiary oriented schemes (pensions, scholarships and other individual assistance schemes)," Kansal said.