Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare, and Education, Sakeena Itoo today chaired a high-level review meeting in Poonch district to assess the functioning and performance of the Health, Social Welfare, and Education departments.
The meeting, held with senior officials and local legislators including MLA Haveli Ajaz Ahmed Jan and MLA Surankote Choudhary Mohammad Akram, focused on ensuring efficient service delivery in border and far-flung areas.
Education Sector:
The Minister reviewed the progress of ongoing infrastructure projects and directed executing agencies to ensure timely completion. She instructed the Director School Education Jammu to prioritise deployment of subject-specific teachers, especially in remote zones, and to rationalise existing staff to meet learning needs.
Emphasising community involvement, she called for strengthening School Management Committees (SMCs) and increasing teacher training efforts.
“Education is the foundation of a progressive society. We are committed to ensuring every child has access to quality learning, especially in border and tribal areas,” the Minister stated.
Health Sector:
Taking stock of healthcare facilities, Minister Itoo directed the Director Health Services Jammu to cancel all unauthorized doctor attachments and ensure doctors serve at their designated postings. She also stressed the need to deploy doctors to remote areas on a rotational basis and to minimise patient referrals to higher hospitals.
“A healthy population is essential for development. Equitable access to healthcare is a priority, especially for border residents,” she said.
Social Welfare:
The Minister reviewed implementation of welfare schemes and called for transparency in beneficiary selection. She urged the department to conduct awareness camps in tribal and rural areas to ensure all eligible individuals benefit from existing schemes.
“Social welfare must empower the most vulnerable. It's about dignity, not just disbursement,” she emphasized.
During the meeting, both MLAs highlighted key concerns from their constituencies. Minister Itoo assured them that their issues would be addressed on priority.
Deputy Commissioner Poonch, Vikas Kundal, presented a detailed briefing on the performance of each department, including updates on school enrolments, faculty deployment, healthcare infrastructure, and social welfare schemes such as old age pensions, child protection services, women’s empowerment hubs, and more.
The Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to inclusive development and assured that border and underserved regions will remain a focus in future planning.