JK ropes in NIRDPR Hyderabad to train Sarpanchs, Panchs

Hyderabad, Dec 13: Jammu and Kashmir Government is devising a comprehensive training and capacity building programme for Sarpanchs and Panchs to facilitate them discharge their responsibilities effectively.

In this connection a day-long workshop was conducted at the National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) here to fine-tune the training and capacity building module.

The workshop was organized under the chairpersonship of Director General NIRDPR, Dr W R Reddy.

J&K was represented at the workshop by Secretary, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Sheetal Nanda, Director Panchayats, J&K and Shafia from IMPARD, J&K while several faculty members of NIRDPR were also present at the workshop.

Speaking on the occasion, Sheetal said the objective of this exercise is to equip the Sarpanchs and Panchs of J&K with the requisite capacities and familiarize with the latest modifications made in the State’s Panchayati Raj Act.

“They will also be familiarized with the administrative issues involved in the functioning of Panchayati Raj institutions including participative planning, budgeting, accounting, social audit and convergence of Panchayati Raj Institutions and Self-Help Groups,” she said.

Sheetal said J&K’s Rural Development Department and IMPARD in collaboration with NIRDPR Hyderabad will be organizing week-long capacity building sessions for Panchs and Sarpanchs over a period of 2-3 months to sensitize the elected representatives about their roles and responsibilities.

She said the Panchayat elections in J&K concluded successfully on 11 December2018 and a slew of major initiatives have been taken by the State Government to empower the Panchayati Raj Institutions.

“The capacity building programmeis a step in that direction and shall go a long way in chiseling the administrative skills of the Panchayat representatives and help them serve their people better,” she said.