VB-G RAM G Act: Two-Day CBC outreach programme begins in Kargil

KARGIL: A two-day Central Bureau of Communication (CBC) outreach programme on the VB-G RAM G Act began at the Syed Mehdi Memorial Auditorium Hall here on Wednesday, with officials stressing greater awareness, grassroots participation and economic empowerment of rural communities under the newly introduced legislation.

Organised by the Leh Field Office of the CBC, a media unit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Integrated Communication and Outreach Programme (ICOP) seeks to familiarise people with the provisions and implementation of the Act. The opening day witnessed participation from students of various schools across Kargil district.

Executive Councillor for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Power Development Department, FCS&CA, Information and ZDA, LAHDC Kargil, Er. Punchok Tashi, who inaugurated the programme, said awareness initiatives were necessary to ensure that government schemes reached their intended beneficiaries.

Tashi urged rural residents to participate actively in the implementation of the Act, stressing that government programmes could not achieve their intended objectives without public involvement.

He said the Act had increased the guaranteed employment period from 100 to 125 workdays and urged residents to place their demands through their respective village panchayats so that development requirements could be reflected in local planning and implemented on the ground.

Tashi also underlined the need to narrow the development gap between rural and urban areas, saying that the broader national development vision could not be achieved unless rural communities were adequately integrated into the development process.

During the programme, Block Development Officer Taisuru Rukhsar Ahmad Shah explained the rationale behind the legislation, noting that a large section of India’s population lives in rural areas and that sustainable development depends on improving living conditions in villages.

He said economically vulnerable sections were particularly exposed to exploitation and maintained that the Act could provide opportunities for greater self-reliance and economic empowerment. He also called for greater participation of young people in its implementation.

Mohammad Towha, Village Level Worker from Kargil, outlined the implementation of the Act in the Union Territory of Ladakh. He said stakeholders at different levels were working towards its effective execution and highlighted the emphasis placed on women’s economic empowerment.

The programme also featured an exhibition showcasing the provisions of the VB-G RAM G Act, along with live cultural performances by empanelled cultural troupes.

Students participating in the programme delivered speeches and presented cultural performances centred on its theme. An open quiz was also organised, with winners felicitated at the conclusion of the day’s proceedings.

The second day of the outreach programme is scheduled to continue the awareness and communication activities surrounding the Act and its implementation among rural communities.