'Model Village' dedicated to martyrs

A 'model village' in the frontier Kathua district was today dedicated to the martyrs of army and paramilitary forces by Union Minister Jitendra Singh.
Singh dedicated 'model village' Sangwali in Hiranagar Assembly Constituency to the martyrs from army and paramilitary forces.
During a visit to the village he said the village has accomplished almost all the parameters required to be designated a model village and soon, it will become the first designated model village of Jammu and Kashmir under the "Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana".
Singh said, besides Sangwali, three other villages adopted by him are Humbal in Doda district, Bhattan in Kishtwar district and flood-affected Saddal in Udhampur district.

"The reason to opt for Sangwali as first village to be developed was that it is a land which has produced generations of patriots who have left behind a long history of martyrdom for the nation," he said.
Singh also requested the local MLA and the Deputy Commissioner to moot a proposal to name the link road to the village as 'Shaheed Khajuria Marg'.

The peculiarity of the village, he said, is the majority of its population is comprised of ex-servicemen and more than 60 percent of them belong to the Dalit community.
"It is a matter of pride that the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana has achieved cent percent targets in the village and even though there is a provision in the scheme to open bank accounts with zero balance, the people of the village have, out of their self-esteem and self-respect, come forward to deposit money as a result of which, an amount of Rs 14,36,543 has been deposited," he said.

Singh also announced the opening of a skill development centre for housewives and youth, and added that he would organize regular multi-specialty health camps during which he also would provide consultation to patients with diabetes.