Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today chaired a high-level meeting and discussed the key issues related to ‘Future-Ready Governance’, at Raj Bhawan.

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The meeting was attended by Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Anurag Goel, former Union Secretary; Prof. Umesh Rai, Vice Chancellor Jammu University; Prof. Nilofer Khan, VC Kashmir University; Dr Nazir A. Ganai, VC SKUAST Kashmir; Dr BN Tripathi, VC SKUAST Jammu; Anurag Goyal, Advisor, NITI Aayog; Shaleen Kabra, Additional Chief Secretary Jal Shakti Department; Dr Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lt Governor; Administrative Secretaries; HoDs and Senior officers.

The prime objective of the workshop conducted earlier and today’s meeting organized by the Planning Development & Monitoring Department was to draw a roadmap integrating technological advancements into the system to create more values through good governance.

“Change is the only constant and every sector has to imagine a future in the backdrop of increasing role of humans and machines and their collective strength for growth,” the Lt Governor said.

He underlined the need for integration of Artificial Intelligence and new technological tools to plan schemes more effectively and to make public services more efficient.

Technological adoption and increased human & machine collaboration will also enable informed decision making, improve policy making processes, target resources and services urgently required for quality living of citizens and speedy implementation of projects, he said.

The Lt Governor emphasized on adopting strategic and integrated approach to effectively tackle the various growing challenges like climate change, cyber threat and issues in health, education and agriculture.

The Lt Governor asked the Planning Development & Monitoring Department to prepare for the significant shift to maximize the benefits of government schemes for the citizens and minimize the risk and loss.

Besides improving policy performance, managing the complex challenges of the future and addressing disruptive changes that will occur in the future, the integrated approach will help us to develop a system of Citizen-Driven Policies, he said.

In order to achieve the vision of developed J&K and India by 2047, first we need to set the goals for the next 3 years with Agriculture and Education as two priority sectors. I am confident that we will be able to bring transformation in the coming years, the Lt Governor added

Sh Anurag Goel, former Union Secretary and Advisor IIT Jodhpur gave a detailed presentation on ‘Future-Ready Governance’.

The meeting also discussed the establishment of a nodal cell in the Planning Department.

Dr Raghav Langer, Secretary Planning Development & Monitoring Department briefed the meeting on the proposed initiatives and the future strategy.

The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of the Forest Force, Jammu and Kashmir, Roshan Jaggi, inspected Lidder and Awantipora Forest Divisions and reviewed working of the Forest Department there. He also reviewed the ongoing developmental works being executed in these Forest Divisions.

He informed that under flagship Green J&K Drive programme, the plantation target of 1.75 crores will be achieved this year in J&K. He said planting target of  15 lacs has been set up for this year for South Forest Circle. The PCCF  stressed on Chinar planting and low-cost greening initiatives. The PCCF informed that  South Forest Circle achieved  plantation target of 14.00 lacs last year.He directed for  greening initiatives to be  accelerated for rehabilitation of degraded forests here. He directed for greening of all barren slopes in all forest divisions of South Forest Circle  through suitable forestry interventions.

During the tour,PCCF inspected various ongoing development works in both the divisions including Shade Net Structure for Pampore Nursery. He also laid foundation stones of Block officers hut at Gossanard Pampore, New Forest Control Room building at Awantipora and of New Range office building in Bijbehara. The newly renovated range office Pampore was also thrown open to public services by the PCCF. An information brochure on forest fire management in Awantipora Division was also released on the occasion.

PCCF visited Central forest nursery, Bijbehara where he gave directions for effective nursery management, increasing medicinal plant cultivation, biodiversity conservation by involving local people. He directed that nursery management works should target locals to generate livelihood for them. PCCF also directed for quality plant production on scientific lines and improvement of nursery based infrastructure as well. He also directed for quality seed collection from plus tree and utilisation of same for new nursery  raisings.

During the inspection the PCCF & HoFF,J&K was accompanied by Conservator of Forests South Forest Circle Irfan Ali Shah, Divisional Forest Officer Awantipora Forest Division Waseem Farooq Mir, Divisional Forest officer Lidder Forest Division Sheikh Mehraj, DFO Anantnag Mohammad Ramzaan, District level officers of Forest Protection Force, Range Forest officers and other Forest officials.

Police on Sunday said they seized high-valued narcotics worth Rs 100 crore in Banihal area of Ramban district and arrested two persons in this regard.

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A police official told that Ramban police intercepted an Innova vehicle at the railway chowk in Banihal, apprehending two individuals associated with large-scale narcotics.

The vehicle, travelling from Kashmir towards Jammu, was found to be concealing a substantial quantity of high-valued narcotics, he said.

During a thorough search, the police made a startling discovery, saying they recovered approximately 30 kilograms of a heroin-like substance from hidden compartments within the vehicle.

The international market value of the seized drugs is estimated to be around Rs 100 crores, according to the official.

The arrested persons are currently in police custody, and further investigations are underway to ascertain the source and destination of this illicit substance, the official said.

He added that authorities are also actively pursuing leads to identify potential links to larger drug trafficking networks. KNO