District magistrates from all 11 districts in Delhi are set to spend the night in villages this coming Sunday, engaging in discussions with residents to formulate comprehensive development plans, according to officials.
This initiative, mandated by Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor (LG) V K Saxena, aims to gain a firsthand understanding of the challenges and socio-economic conditions faced by villagers. The LG has further instructed various departments to deploy senior officers for an overnight stay to assess and address these issues, with a focus on mainstreaming villages.
Officials state that the senior officers will provide practical recommendations for overall development, and their insights will contribute to a village development plan. This plan is expected to encompass targeted activities for infrastructure improvement, the promotion of economic activities, and the establishment of marketing linkages for village products.
The officials indicate that the LG has directed the District Magistrates (DMs) to collaborate with line departments in preparing a preliminary plan, which will then be consolidated based on the assessments made by the deputed senior officers. This consolidated plan is to be finalized within two weeks.
The upcoming village stay by the DMs follows the ‘Samvaad @Raj Niwas’ dialogue initiative, where the LG engaged with representatives from 180 villages earlier this month. This announcement was made to underscore the LG’s commitment to the comprehensive development of villages in Delhi. The selected villages in the 11 districts include Baprola, Tatesar Rural, Fatehpur Beri, Chilla Saroda Bangar, and Palla.
During their visit on January 7, the DMs will conduct ‘Samvaad’ sessions with residents, visit important sites for inspection, and hold discussions with villagers around a bonfire in the evening. The aim is to gather feedback and grievances from the villagers, contributing to the formulation of an inclusive development roadmap.
The officials emphasize that this initiative is part of the ‘Dilli Gramoday Abhiyan,’ executed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) at a cost exceeding Rs 800 crore. The LG, who is also the chairman of the DDA, seeks to actively involve the community in the restoration and development of Delhi’s villages.
In addition to this, the LG has directed the expansion of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) coverage in schools to instill values related to nation-building. This directive underscores the LG’s commitment to holistic development and engagement with various sections of the community.
(With PTI inputs)
