 "Training for elected panchayat members inadequate: Panel")
Training infrastructure for elected representatives of panchayats across the country is "thoroughly inadequate", a Parliamentary panel has said and recommended constitution of an expert committee to expand the current capacity.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Panchayati Raj Institutions in its report on 'Capacity Building of Panchayati Raj Institutions' has noted with dismay that training requirement of as many as 29 lakh elected representatives of panchayats, of which 10 lakh are women, is far from satisfactory.
The committee has recommended that the Ministry of Panchayati Raj constitutes an expert committee to expand the present training network.
In Bihar, there is only one SIRD and three ETCs for 1.3 lakh representatives, it said.
The Committee said the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has agreed that the existing training infrastructure in 29 SIRDs and 78 ETCs needs to be augmented manifold.
"... The Ministry should undertake a comprehensive study to expand the network for training of elected representatives of Panchayats by an expert committee, so that in states where training infrastructure is inadequate, they may be upgraded to the required level," it said in its report.
The committee also expressed disapproval of the absence of any system of evaluation of the training imparted to the elected members.
The ministry gave an assurance to the committee that Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan would address these issues.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Panchayati Raj Institutions in its report on 'Capacity Building of Panchayati Raj Institutions' has noted with dismay that training requirement of as many as 29 lakh elected representatives of panchayats, of which 10 lakh are women, is far from satisfactory.
The committee has recommended that the Ministry of Panchayati Raj constitutes an expert committee to expand the present training network.
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Citing examples of various states, it said for 50 districts and 3.96 lakh elected representatives in Madhya Pradesh, there is only State Institute for Rural Development (SIRD), seven Panchayat training centres and six Extension Training Centres (ETC).
In Bihar, there is only one SIRD and three ETCs for 1.3 lakh representatives, it said.
The Committee said the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has agreed that the existing training infrastructure in 29 SIRDs and 78 ETCs needs to be augmented manifold.
"... The Ministry should undertake a comprehensive study to expand the network for training of elected representatives of Panchayats by an expert committee, so that in states where training infrastructure is inadequate, they may be upgraded to the required level," it said in its report.
The committee also expressed disapproval of the absence of any system of evaluation of the training imparted to the elected members.
The ministry gave an assurance to the committee that Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan would address these issues.