Srinagar, July 14: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Monday chaired the maiden meeting of the Union Territory Level Screening Committee (UTLSC) under the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) to finalise the development roadmap for identified border villages across Jammu and Kashmir.

The meeting, convened by the Planning, Development & Monitoring Department (PD&MD), was attended by Administrative Secretaries, Heads of Departments and Deputy Commissioners of the concerned districts.
Reviewing district-wise proposals, the Chief Secretary stressed that all projects should be implemented in a mission mode with close inter-departmental coordination to ensure timely execution and optimum utilisation of resources.
He said the Vibrant Villages Programme provides a significant opportunity to transform the socio-economic landscape of strategically important border villages through integrated planning, better infrastructure and sustainable livelihood generation.
Commissioner Secretary, PD&MD, R. Alice Vaz, outlined the programme's focus on tourism, cultural heritage, agriculture, horticulture, skill development, entrepreneurship, cooperative development and cultivation of medicinal plants, alongside improvements in road connectivity, housing, renewable energy, telecom and television access.
Nodal Officer Owais Ahmad informed the committee that district administrations have proposed 1,191 development projects, including 526 in Jammu, 195 in Poonch, 121 in Samba, 117 in Kathua, 92 in Rajouri, 83 in Baramulla and 57 in Bandipora.
The meeting was also informed that 24 uncovered villages will be connected under PMGSY-IV, while 8,513 households are proposed to receive on-grid electricity connections and 16,702 households will be covered with Direct-to-Home (DTH) television connectivity through set-top boxes.
Concluding the meeting, the Chief Secretary directed all departments and district administrations to ensure meticulous planning, effective coordination and timely implementation so that the programme strengthens infrastructure, generates livelihoods and improves the quality of life in border villages across Jammu and Kashmir.