Panchayat members to be trained in admin

BENGALURU: The State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) department will conduct a training programme to the newly elected Gram Panchayat (GP) members from January 19 to March 26. Training will be conducted in batches across the state.

As many as 900 resource persons have been deputed to give training at 285 centres to 92,131 members from 5,762 Gram Panchayats. The panchayat elections in the state were held on December 22 and 27 and results were announced on December 30. During the five-day programme, from 10.30 am to 4 pm every day, the members will be given training in 15 topics including administration and fund mobilisation. These members will be given a lecture via video conferencing.

The entire cost of the training will be Rs 27.16 crore, shared by the State and Union governments under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan. RDPR Department Principal Secretary L K Ateeq said that the training programme this year will be different from the previous one as it is held once in five years. This time the training covers perspective planning for the development of the village in the next five years, Gram Panchayat administration, Gram Sabha meetings, financial management, allocation of funds under the 15th Finance Commission, works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and other subjects relevant to them.

The training will also focus on resource mobilisation as the state government is keen in making panchayats self-sufficient. At present, panchayats are largely dependent on government grants. The RDPR Department is working on a proposal to increase property tax in panchayat limits and the members will play an important role in implementation of the government programmes and also in collecting taxes.