Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said that the Central government is fully committed to the all-round development of border villages in the Union Territory.
Sinha visited Vibrant Village Trehgam in north Kashmir’s Kupwara. He inaugurated and laid foundation stones for various projects, and also discussed the needs and concerns of the villagers.
Addressing a public gathering, Sinha said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India is fully committed to the all-round development of border villages.
“Every village deserves all-weather roads, modern schools and abundant opportunities for the youth. That is the vision driving us to transform Kupwara’s border villages into model villages post-2019. Together, we will turn our resolve into reality,” he said.
The lieutenant governor said it is the Central government’s commitment to ensure that every child of Trehgam receives the same quality education currently available in Jammu and Kashmir’s cities.
“I want farmers here to access superior seeds, reliable irrigation, and strong market linkages. Trehgam has made remarkable strides in self-employment, with 205 self-help groups and 85 units under Mission Youth already operational,” Sinha said.
“The revival of the historic Sharda Temple in Teetwal has breathed new life into the tourism sector. In 2018-19, only 6,900 tourists visited Kupwara. However, in 2024-25, that number surged to 3,77,000. I am confident that in the next one or two years, every border village will script its own story of prosperity,” he said.
Recalling his earlier visit to Machil on October 5, 2020, he said the Keran and Machil areas were connected with grid power after 70 years of waiting.
“At that time, reliable power reached about 70 per cent of families in Kupwara’s other villages. In just four years, we have extended it to nearly 95 per cent of households. Telecom connectivity in border villages now stands at 88 per cent. Officials should ensure 100 per cent coverage by the end of this year,” he said.
Sinha said every family in border villages is serving the nation, and that service deserves to be honoured by way of a transformed quality of life.
“Through Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and Public Works Department, we have already provided all-weather roads to 15 out of 16 Vibrant Villages in the past. Funding for the last one has arrived from the Central government, and work will commence soon. We had planned grid power for every household in all 16 Vibrant Villages, and so far 95 per cent saturation has been achieved,” the lieutenant governor said.
The Vibrant Village Phase-2 programme outlines three key pillars for holistic growth. First, securing livelihoods by launching new cooperative societies, self-help groups, tourism circuits, and cottage industries, especially empowering women and youth.
Second, ensuring physical and digital connectivity to every Vibrant Village, while building a strong educational infrastructure.
Third, ensuring full saturation of all Central government and UT administration schemes. The infrastructure focuses on four thematic areas: all-weather road connectivity, telecom, television access, and electrification.
The lieutenant governor said that through a whole-of-government approach, officials should dedicate themselves to achieving the target and link villages like Trehgam to the national mainstream.
He said the administration is looking beyond government schemes and programmes to create sustainable opportunities for the youth of villages like Trehgam.
He emphasised that Corporate Social Responsibility funds are being channelled into building stadiums and playgrounds across the region.
Sinha reiterated that the Government of India is committed to the complete rehabilitation of terror victims and flood-affected families.
The project inaugurated by the lieutenant governor included the establishment of 26 smart classrooms in six Vibrant Blocks under the Aspirational District Programme.
The projects for which the foundation stones were laid were the development of Hill Top Playground at a cost of Rs 1.60 crore, and the development, renovation and preservation of Shiv Temple at a cost of Rs 1.94 crore.
Sinha handed over appointment letters to local youths and beneficiaries under various schemes. He also flagged off a mobile tuberculosis diagnosis and awareness vehicle.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, which is on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir, on Wednesday called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha here, an official spokesman said.
He said the members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs headed by Radha Mohan Das Agrawal called on Sinha at the Lok Bhavan here.
The committee is on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir to assess the overall security and developmental scenario in the Union territory.
