Aimed at improving the quality of education and functioning of women self-help groups in Andhra Pradesh, the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU) of Malaysia today began a six-week long "lab sessions" for officials, NGOs and others.
State Chief Secretary S P Tucker, who inaugurated the event, said the government is keen on changing the British system of education, which churns out "clerks".
"The system also contributes less towards improving the state's human resources," a state government release quoted him as saying.
"PEMANDU will help Andhra Pradesh in thinking, planning and understanding how to fill gaps in a systematic way," he added.
It said that 130 participants from various departments, MSME manufacturing units, SHGs, stakeholders from the organised and unorganised sectors participated on the opening day.
During the first session, discussions were held on how the participation of women entrepreneurs and SHGs can be promoted to have a larger share in the economy by selling their products directly to the buyers, thereby achieving inclusive growth, it said.
The "lab sessions" would also discuss topics including performance management, project delivery and monitoring in the education and retail sectors.
Ravindran Devagunam, Director, PEMANDU said he is excited to be associated with the Andhra Pradesh government and that he is looking forward to being a part of the "lab sessions that will catalyse transformation in the state's economy".
Sanjay Gupta, CEO, AP State Development Planning Society expressed satisfaction on the stakeholders' interest to participate in the labs. He urged other NGOs, experts and stakeholders to be a part of the sessions, the release added.
The PEMANDU comes under Malaysian Prime Minister's Department for cooperation, a state government release issued in December had stated.
The two sides had signed an agreement for cooperation in areas of performance management and monitoring of public programmes, education and retail services.
The NITI Aayog had also signed an MoU with PEMANDU, under which the latter would work with the Centre in rolling out impactful and meaningful public sector initiatives in the national and state level, the release had said.
