Sanjay Pandey Palamu: Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting, Dr. L. Murugan, currently on a three-day visit to Palamu, chaired a review meeting with district officials on Tuesday at the Collectorate auditorium. The meeting focused on the progress made on various indicators under the Aspirational District Programme. Deputy Commissioner Shashi Ranjan briefed the minister on Palamu's geographical and developmental status.

Health, Nutrition, and Education Under Review

During the review, Union Minister Dr. L. Murugan evaluated the performance in health and nutrition sectors. Officials informed him that over 90% of deliveries in the district are institutional, contributing significantly to reducing maternal and infant mortality rates. The minister also inquired about the care and treatment provided to children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). He directed the Civil Surgeon and Social Welfare Officer to work collaboratively to prioritize the health of women and children. In the education sector, Dr. Murugan emphasized the need to address the dropout rates in Classes 5 and 6. Highlighting Palamu's Delta Ranking of 44 in education, he urged officials to work diligently towards improving this ranking by implementing targeted interventions.

Agriculture, Water Resources, Financial Inclusion, and Infrastructure

Union Minister Dr. L. Murugan reviewed the progress in agriculture and water resources, including seed distribution and vaccination for livestock. He stressed the need to accelerate animal vaccination efforts. The financial inclusion review covered the number of beneficiaries under schemes like Mudra Loans, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, and Atal Pension Yojana. Under basic infrastructure, the minister assessed progress in electricity connectivity, internet access in gram panchayats, and coverage of Common Service Centres (CSCs). He also reviewed the status of the Har Ghar Jal Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

Call for Better Coordination and Targeted Efforts

Union Minister Dr. L. Murugan noted that while progress has been made, further improvements are required across sectors to meet the standards set by NITI Aayog for aspirational districts. He instructed officials to work in coordination across departments to enhance education, health, agriculture, and other sectors.

Participants and Closing Remarks

The review meeting was attended by Palamu MP Vishnu Dayal Ram, Deputy Commissioner Shashi Ranjan, Deputy Development Commissioner Shabbir Ahmed, Municipal Commissioner Javed Hussain, Additional Collector Kundan Kumar, along with officials from various departments and engineers. Dr. Murugan concluded the meeting by encouraging the officials to strive collectively for substantial improvements in Palamu’s performance indicators