Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday visited north Kashmir’s Bandipora district along with his cabinet ministers and advisor to review the pace of development and assess the progress of key government initiatives across the district.
Speaking to reporters after the review meeting, the Chief Minister said the administration conducted a comprehensive assessment of last year’s development plan for Bandipora. He stated that the meeting focused on evaluating achievements, identifying shortcomings, and discussing areas where further improvements are required.
“We reviewed the delivery of last year’s plan for Bandipora. We discussed where the shortcomings were and where improvements were needed,” Omar Abdullah said.
The Chief Minister highlighted that local representatives, including the MLAs from Gurez, Bandipora, and Sonawari, actively participated in the discussions and raised issues concerning their respective constituencies. According to him, the legislators presented the expectations of the people, developmental demands, and areas that require immediate government attention.
“They put forward the people’s expectations regarding their constituencies, the demands, and areas where things need to be fixed,” he said.
Assuring the public of the government’s commitment, Omar Abdullah said all genuine concerns raised during the meeting would be addressed to the maximum extent possible. “They have been assured that we will do whatever is possible from our end,” he added.
One of the major issues discussed during the review meeting was the status of Bandipora District Hospital. Although the hospital shifted to a new building in 2019, it has yet to receive official District Hospital status. The Chief Minister acknowledged that the matter was raised during the discussions and assured that the government would work towards resolving the pending issues.
He informed that Health Minister Sakina Itoo, who joined the meeting virtually from Jammu, assured local representatives that any remaining formalities or requirements related to the hospital would be addressed by her department.
“This matter has been brought up. Minister Sakina Itoo has assured the Honorable MLA and the others that wherever anything remains to be done, it will all be completed by her department,” Omar Abdullah said.
When asked about recent national political developments involving the DMK and Shiv Sena, the Chief Minister chose to focus on local governance issues. He said it would not be appropriate for him to comment on the decisions of other political parties.
“Neither you nor I can answer this question. Standing here in Bandipora, how can I tell you what the DMK or Shiv Sena people will do? That is up to them and their conscience,” he remarked.
Clarifying the position of the National Conference, Omar Abdullah stated that the party’s Members of Parliament would not support the issue being discussed, while reiterating that decisions of other parties were for them to make.
The visit reflects the government’s continued emphasis on monitoring development projects, addressing public grievances, and ensuring better delivery of services across Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in districts such as Bandipora where key infrastructure and healthcare concerns remain under review.
