The 73rd Independence Day was today celebrated with greatenthusiasm, fervour and national spirit inside the premises of  New DC Office Complex Kishtwar wherein theChief Guest, Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar Angrez Singh Rana unfurled thetricolor and took salute of the march past of contingents from JKP, CRPF, CISFJKAP, JKP, FPF, Home Guard and scores of students from GDC, Kishtwar besides variousschools of the district.

Commander 9 Sector RR , Brig. Vikram Bhan, District SessionJudge, Kishtwar, Sham Lal Lalhal, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)Kishtwar          Dr. Harmeet SinghMehta, Sr. Commandant CISF, Ranjeet Kumar, Commandant CRPF 52 Battalion, SureshKumar, ADDC Kishtwar Mohd.Hanief Malik, ADC Kishtwar, Pawan Kumar Parihar,President, MC Kishtwar Riyaz Ahmed Zargar besides other senior officers fromcivil and police administration,  Army,CRPF, CISF, ITBP, Sarpanches, Panches, elected members of MC Kishtwar,prominent citizens, social workers, political activisits and large number ofmen, women and children were present on the occasion.

  Speaking at theoccasion, the Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar Angrez Singh Rana  highlighted the importance of IndependenceDay and stated that it is the most significant day in the history of India ason this day the sun of independence dawned on the horizon of our motherland andour National Government came into power. This was joyous daybreak to end thelong night of captivity.

He further stressed the people of Kishtwar  to work with togetherness for promotingnational integration, communal harmony and peace in the district.During hisspeech, he counted  numerousdevelopmental projects and works undertaken in the district.

He said that in PWD (R&B) sector construction of roadsunder NABARD /State plan/CRF is under progress and by this various badpocket/far flung areas like Marwah, Warwan, Dachhan, Paddar, Machail, Bounjwah,Chatroo,  Kuntwara,  areas will be got connected through passableroads/link roads and bridges, foot bridges.

Under PWD (R&B) 10 projects have been sanctioned underlanguishing project with an approved outlay of Rs. 2264.61 lacsReferring to PHEdepartment he informed that in Naigad water supply scheme pipelines upto 28kmout of 32 km has been laid and within shortest possible the pending work willbe got completed.For filtration plant land measuring 10 kanal has been acquiredand work is in progress, besides land at various places have been identifiedfor construction of Over Head  Tanks(OHTs) in and around Kishtwar town which will mitigate the water scarcityproblem and ensure proper distribution of water.Besides 20 no. of water supplyschems with a total cost of Rs. 3748.52 lacs stands approved under languishingproject.

  Under DistrictEmployment and Counselling Center 5089 unemployed youths have been registeredso far besides 25 SHGs comprising 106 Engineers have been registered wherein 69no. works amounting to Rs 232 lakh have been alloted in favour of SHGs .Under,Social Welfare department he informed that 7656 eligible persons have beenbenefitted under

Old age pension scheme, 3438 under widow pension scheme withan amount of Rs 1000 each, 3170 differently abled persons have been assistedfinancially besides under State Marriage Assistance 4828 cases have beensanctioned.

He further stated that under UMEED, 865 Self -Help groupswith 8089 women  enrollment have beenconstituted.  Revolving fund to the tuneof  8.18 crores have been released alongwith 2.15 crores have been found the savings of SHGs.Under Revenue sector, 5179kanals of land stands evacuated by revenue authorities,  25 kanals common Land has been evacuated, 84updation of Jamabandies has been completed and 72 is under progress.He informedthat through the Deptt of Labour and Employment

an amount of Rs. 2.34 Crore got disbursed among 4382beneficiaries under Buildings and other construction worker welfare board underEducation assistance scheme. Besides in PM-SYM (Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi ManDhan) a total of 4,700 have been registered who will get minimum benefitsof  assured pension of Rs. 3000 per monthafter attaining age of 60 years.

Under Health Department, variousprogrammes/scheme/peojects  have beenstarted in the district for the welfare and health of the public like  registration of 31000 beneficiaries underAyushman Bharat wherein 88 patients of the district have availed benefits underthe scheme.He further informed that constrution of 50 bedded hospital at Marwahis under progress, besides work of Ayush Hospital and BSc Nursing College inKishtwar is also going on. He stated that Modern Dialysis unit at DistrictHospital Kishtwar has been established . Work on Additional 100 bedded IPDblock at District Hospital Kishtwar, Allopathic Dispensary Inderwal, 25 beddedSub District at Paddar is underway. Under Royality collected through concernheli services being operated at Gulabgarh/Machail various tourism projects havebeen started at Gulabgarh/Machail in which foundation stones have been laid i.e Sapphire guest House at Gulabgarh Paddar with an est cost of 171.80 lacs, Construction of VIP Rest House atMachail estd cost 187.06 lacs , Reconstruction of Unsafe Sarai at Tatapani estdcost 42 lacs.Besides under languishing project foundation stone has been laidfor town draininge system with a tune of nine crores in district Kishtwar.Hestated that it is a matter of great privilege for the district Kishtwar beingnominated/selected  for National Awardunder Beti Bachao Beti Padao as best district among 10 selected districts forconducting massive mass awareness and outreach programme in every nook andcorner of the district.

He appealed parents to give due attention for impartingeducation to female children and give them every facility and platform.

In order to save every drop of water for future generationsdistrict administration Kishtwar started Jal Shakti Abhiyan with great vigourand buyonancy. He asked all participants to do needful for saving every singledrop of water so as to secure the fine living of future generations.

He stated that students of Kishtwar have immense talent infield of education and many students have proved their mettle in the field ofIAS, KAS,  MBBS,  Engeenering and other streams.He appealed thestudents to follow the path of successful persons and also inculcate the spiritof sportsmanship so as to strive for the nation and district Kishtwar inparticular.He lauded the people of Kishtwar for maintaining peace and communalharmony during the turbulent times and appealed to all people not to fall preyto the vicious designs of anti national people who are trying to vitiate thepeaceful atmosphere of the district. Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar showeredpraise towards security forces and congratulated them for working day and nightto maintain peace in the district.

 Cultural programmesdisplaying patriotic spirit, rich cultural traditions and ethos were  presented on the occasion by the schoolchildren which mesmerized the audience.

Main attractions were the bhangra, skit on BBBP, song by alittle children "jo shaheed huai hain unki jara yaad Karo kurbani, thalidance by the troop from Ramban besides other eye catching performances ofschool students. Later, Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar, Commander 9 Sector RRand SSP Kishtwar distributed  trophies,commendation certificates and mementoes among the Officers / Officials fortheir exemplary services in different fields besides students for academicexcellence.