Ministry, NIRD&PR Launch Training Program to Strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions

The training program was inaugurated on July 1, 2024, by Shri Manoj Kumar, Registrar & Director (Administration) i/c, NIRD&PR.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), in collaboration with the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR), has initiated a comprehensive training program aimed at bolstering the capabilities of newly recruited Capacity Building Consultants and State Quality Monitors. These individuals will be deployed across State Institutes of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (SIRD&PRs), State Panchayati Raj Resource Centres (SPRCs), and other Panchayati Raj Training Institutes nationwide. This intensive training, running from July 1 to July 11, 2024, marks a significant step in strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and enhancing their effectiveness in rural development. Eighty-five participants are attending the eleven-day program.

Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar delivered a lecture on Strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions through Capacity Building & Training at NIRD&PR, Hyderabad. He emphasized the key features of the 73rd Amendment Act, highlighting its importance in empowering local governance and the role of consultants. Dr. Kumar underscored the necessity of capacity building and training for elected representatives of PRIs, covering crucial areas such as the preparation of convergent Panchayat Development Plans, maintenance of accounts and e-Governance, organizing Gram Sabhas and Panchayat meetings, service delivery to citizens, and mobilization of Own Source Revenue (OSR).

Dr. Kumar provided an overview of the activities and initiatives by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the resource material available for thematic Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs). He also described the functionalities and benefits of the Panchayat NIRNAY application. Addressing the challenges in PESA, he discussed the knowledge gaps regarding the provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) within PRIs and the limited progress in the effective implementation of the PESA Act and State PESA rules.

Using a participative approach, Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar engaged the participants with videos on digital initiatives like GeM–e-Gram Swaraj integration and the SVAMITVA scheme for Spatial Planning. The lecture cum discussion provided valuable insights and practical knowledge, aiming to enhance the capabilities of the senior capacity building consultants and state quality monitors in strengthening the Panchayati Raj system across the country.

On July 3, 2024, Shri Vikas Anand, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, delivered a lecture on Capacity Building and Training of PRIs under the revamped RGSA. He emphasized the importance of Training Needs Assessment, development of training modules, evaluation of capacity building and training activities, and new initiatives under the revamped RGSA. These initiatives include Leadership/Management Development Programs, Faculty Development Programs, Joint/Integrated Training Programs for Elected Representatives (ERs), Faculty Development Programs through SIRDs on a regional basis, Training of Trainers on a regional basis, and the significance of the Panchayat Development Index (PDI).

The training program was inaugurated on July 1, 2024, by Shri Manoj Kumar, Registrar & Director (Administration) i/c, NIRD&PR. Dr. Anjan Kumar Bhanja, Associate Professor and Head of CPRDP&SSD, NIRD&PR, and Director of the Training Program, introduced the entire program and conducted a comprehensive session on the Background and Objectives of the Training Program.

Recognizing the need for robust knowledge and professional support for effective management of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), NIRD&PR established the School of Excellence in Panchayati Raj (SoEPR) under the revamped RGSA. SoEPR aims to intensify Capacity Building & Training (CB&T) efforts under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), enhancing the capabilities of State Panchayati Raj Departments, SIRDs, and PRIs.

At the state level, Senior Capacity Building Consultants and State Quality Monitors, as well as Capacity Building Consultants and State Quality Monitors, are posted at SIRDs and SPRCs. Their responsibilities include providing handholding support to SIRDs and training institutes, supporting PRIs in institutional strengthening, theme-based Panchayat Planning, and monitoring CB&T interventions under RGSA.