RD&PRD Ladakh bids farewell to outgoing Commissioner Secretary, Saugat Biswas

RD&PRD Ladakh bids farewell to outgoing Commissioner Secretary, Saugat Biswas

Kargil, June 18, 2023: The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Ladakh, on Saturday organized a farewell function for the outgoing Commissioner Secretary, RD&PRD, Saugat Biswas at Dragon Hotel, Leh.

Director RDD&PR, Ladakh, Tahir Hussain Zubdavi, ACD Leh, ACD Kargil, Executive Engineer Leh, Executive Engineer Kargil, DPO Kargil, BDOs, staff members and other concerned officials attended the function.

Speaking on the occasion, the Director RD&PRD, Tahir Hussain Zubdavi lauded the contribution of Saugat Biswas, as Commissioner Secretary and acknowledged his services in taking important measures and decisions for smooth functioning of the department and steering the departmental activities to new heights.

He said during Saugat Biswas’s tenure as Commissioner Secretary, he made every effort to provide and performed best of his capabilities in public service delivery in the rural sector.

Zubdavi said after the formation of UT, Ladakh, the department received generous funding and under the guidance of the Commissioner Secretary, the funding was given a meaningful direction in planning and development of rural and Panchayat level infrastructure.

Notably, in nearly 98 percent panchayats, the Panchayat Ghars and Common Facilitation Centers (CFCs) were constructed with all the facilities under one roof, he added. The concept of CFCs will ensure online service delivery at the village level.

The director also said it was under his leadership that the blacktopping of roads including in rural areas was done with and it was the special focus. He also said during his tenure, the infrastructure for the BDC and BDO Offices was developed. He highlighted solar electrification of all rural infrastructure and how the solar lighting facility in every gram panchayat has lit up the villages and has been a source of convenience to the inhabitants specially women and children.

He shared various instances where in the outgoing Commissioner Secretary showcased his deep interest for the people specially the womenfolk in the rural areas in both the districts. The National Rural Livelihood Mission has been strengthened with training of SHGs, signing of MoU with Telangana NRO for field level interventions and placing all the blocks of Ladakh under the NRLM.

While acknowledging the outstanding contribution of Saugat Biswas, the ACDs and DPOs from Leh and Kargil conveyed their best wishes to him. The officer’s ability to handle the RD&PRD matters with ease and precision were also mentioned and highlighted. Rural development was always focused and in each panchayat, public libraries, Panchayat Ghars, public parks, BDO and BDC offices, roads etc. were constructed or developed.

DPO Kargil, Padma Angmo thanked the Commissioner Secretary for his interest in gender campaign and the efforts in Swachh Bharat Mission. She also informed that the efforts in setting up sanitary pad manufacturing by NRLM SHGs in both the districts have not only given huge confidence to the womenfolk, but also brought in social mobilization in menstrual hygiene practices.

The outgoing Commissioner Secretary, Saugat Biswas also spoke on the occasion and shared his experience in the department. He highlighted the importance of teamwork and the cooperative efforts of the elected representatives be it the LAHDCs, BDCs, Panchayats in all the effective efforts of the department.

He praised the hardwork of the ground level functionaries of the department specially the VLWs, JEs, Technical Staff, NRLM workforce, WDC personnel, Command Area employees in achieving what the department achieved in the past four years.

Biswas appreciated and highlighted the efforts of the staff of RD&PRD for their relentless efforts and dedication towards the services provided to the common people.