ITANAGAR, Dec 21: A two-day interface on ‘My Village My Development Plan’ (MVMDP) under the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) got underway at the State Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (SIRD&PR) here on Thursday.
The programme is being held ‘in view of the unequivocal focus on GPDP by the Panchayati Raj ministry and corresponding requirements for adherence to participatory planning mandated under 14th Finance Commission award for gram panchayat,’ SIRD&PR Deputy Director (Estt, Trg & Research), Dr Vijay Kumar Sharma, explained in a release.
Zilla parishad chairpersons, district panchayat development officers, selected member secretaries of gram panchayats, and officials of the nodal department are participating in it.
Addressing the inaugural function, RD Parliamentary Secretary Mama Natung stressed the need to learn about roles and responsibilities.
He suggested that government officials posted at district, circle and block levels create an atmosphere to “educate illiterate panchayat members about various provisions of the programme guidelines.”
Calling for better coordination between officials and panchayat leaders, he advised them to hold regular meetings to review the performance of various programmes and submit the reports thereof.
RD&PR Secretary, Rinchin Tashi, outlined the evolution of the panchayati raj institutions in the state and urged stakeholders to “focus on strengthening these vital institutions for realising Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of gram swaraj.”
He said MVMDP advocates a participatory planning process involving officials and panchayat leaders in carrying out situational analyses, identifying development gaps, and “prioritising and projectisation of needs.”
Tashi urged the district representatives to ensure maximum participation of the panchayat leaders and government officials during the district level interface “to re-orient the entire strategy for addressing critical gaps and preparing appropriate development plan documents for the gram panchayats in the state.”
SIRD&PR Director, Nyali Ete, highlighted the major objectives of the interface and dwelt on the need for participation of the grassroots institutions for effective, efficient, and transparent planning and implementation of the programmes.
He emphasised on evolving a mechanism for community monitoring plan under MVMDP “as a medium for empowerment of gram sabhas.”
A team from the SIRD&PR, comprising deputy Ddirectors Dr Vijay Kumar Sharma and Likha Kiran Kabak, and Assistant Director Mihin Lali is coordinating the programme.
