SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Wednesday held detailed deliberations with stakeholders of the Manthan platform of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA), Government of India, to chalk out a roadmap and institutional framework for rolling out RuTAGe Smart Village Centres (RSVCs) across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting focused on translating the RSVC concept into a practical and outcome-oriented model suited to the diverse socio-economic and geographical requirements of the Union Territory.
The initiative envisages bringing appropriate science, technology and innovation closer to rural communities while creating opportunities for entrepreneurship, skill development, livelihood enhancement, local value addition and improved delivery of services.
Dulloo called for organising a day-long workshop involving all relevant departments, universities, technology institutions, grassroots organisations and other stakeholders to comprehensively deliberate on the possibilities, institutional arrangements and implementation strategy for the programme.
He stressed that the workshop should result in a clear and actionable roadmap for implementing the initiative across J&K.
The Chief Secretary also emphasised the need to build local capacity to ensure that the initiative remains sustainable beyond its initial implementation phase and that technologies introduced through RSVCs are adapted to local requirements and translated into tangible benefits for rural communities.
He directed the Science and Technology Department to function as the nodal department for the initiative in J&K and maintain close coordination with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser and other stakeholders associated with Manthan for technology identification, institutional partnerships, capacity building and implementation support.
During the deliberations, several sectors with significant potential for technology-led transformation through the RSVC framework were identified, including hydropower, agriculture, horticulture, handicrafts, hospitality, education, geriatric care and drug-abuse rehabilitation.
Dulloo also stressed the importance of convergence with existing flagship initiatives of the J&K Government, particularly Mission YUVA and the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM).
He said convergence with Mission YUVA could help link technology adoption with youth entrepreneurship, innovation and employment, while coordination with JKRLM could facilitate the adoption of suitable technologies by rural self-help groups, producers and livelihood-based enterprises.
Encouraging the Manthan team and concerned departments to adopt an ambitious and outcome-oriented approach, the Chief Secretary said availability of funds should not become a constraint where proposed interventions have clear potential to significantly improve the lives and livelihoods of people.
He called for prioritising technologies and interventions capable of delivering measurable outcomes and creating sustainable impact at the community level.
The proposed RSVC network is envisaged as a technology-enabled rural ecosystem that would connect local needs with appropriate innovations and translate scientific and technological advancements into opportunities for livelihoods, entrepreneurship, productivity and improved quality of life across rural areas of J&K.
The meeting was attended by ACS Finance, Commissioner Secretary FCS&CA, Commissioner Secretaries of GAD, Education and Science & Technology, Secretary Rural Development Department, Director General Rural Sanitation, besides other senior officers and concerned stakeholders.
