KATHUA: Member Legislative Assembly Jasrota Rajiv Jasrotiaon Thursday chaired an introductory meeting with District and Sectoral Officers of the Kathua administration here in the Conference Hall, DC Office Complex.

The meeting was attended by Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC) Surinder Mohan; Chief Planning Officer (CPO) Ranjit Thakur; Superintending Engineer (SE) PWD (R&B); Chief Education Officer (CEO), XENs from different departments including PWD, Irrigation, Flood Control, and PDD, as well as other officials representing various departments.

The Chief Planning Officer gave a detailed briefing on the district’s development trajectory, outlining progress achieved in the implementation of the government-led development and welfare schemes. He reported that 28% of the current year’s Capex Budget expenditure has been utilized, with the remaining projects being expedited following the recent Assembly elections.

The meeting focused on the status of projects funded under District CAPEX, including District Development Council (DDC), Block Development Council (BDC), and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) grants.

The Officers from Public Health Engineering (PHE), Public Works Department (PWD), Rural Development (RDD), Irrigation, Flood Control, Handicrafts & Handloom, District Industries Centre (DIC), Employment, Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Social Welfare, ICDS, DUDA, and Health Department provided updates on various ongoing initiatives.

The MLA, while taking review of the flagship scheme Jal Jeevan Mission, laid stress on expediting the works as Jasrota constituency faces water scarcity for being a Kandi area.

Jasrotia also reviewed the progress of several infrastructure projects, including the Juthana Bridge which is expected to be inaugurated by December 2024. He instructed the Executive Engineer (XEN) Irrigation to prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the Sahar Khad, Ujh Khad, and Sahar Khad irrigation projects.

The MLA also reviewed ongoing initiatives in the sports sector and encouraged the department heads to prioritize development in this area.

DDC Vice-Chairman, Raghunandan Singh expressed strong support for the government departments’ developmental efforts and assured the MLA of his commitment to addressing the concerns raised during the meeting. Rajiv Jasrotia called on field functionaries to work with dedication to fulfill the district's developmental goals in alignment with public aspirations.

MLA emphasised the need for strong collaborative efforts from all departments to meet the district's developmental goals and fulfill the aspirations of the public. He reiterated the importance of working together to ensure that Kathua’s growth continues in line with the vision of the government.

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In loving memory of Dr. Priya Ranjan: A mentor who treated me like family
A Profound Loss: JK Monitor Mourns the Passing of Founding Chairman Dr. Priya Ranjan

We at JK Monitor are profoundly saddened by the sudden demise of our Founding Chairman, Dr. Priya Ranjan.IN LOVING MEMORY Dr Priya Ranjan

A brilliant mind who studied at Netarhat Residential School and graduated in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur before earning his PhD from the University of Maryland, Dr. Ranjan chose to return to India and dedicate his life to teaching, research and social good.

His pioneering work in networked systems, AI, robotics and biomedical applications—especially computer-vision tools for early detection of cancer and heart disease—reflected his deep belief that advanced technology must serve humanity.

For more than 15 years at JK Monitor, he remained a loyal friend, mentor and collaborator, marked by rare humility, intellectual integrity and quiet generosity. His passing leaves a void that cannot be filled. Priya, you will be deeply missed. Your life continues to remind us that knowledge finds its highest purpose in the service of others.

— Team JK Monitor

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