Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, inaugurated the National Consultative Workshop on ‘Status of Devolution to Panchayats’ at Goa today. Director General, IIPA, Shri Surendra Nath Tripathi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Smt Mamta Varma and other senior officers were present on the occasion.
In his inaugural address, Shri Vivek Bharadwaj shared insightful thoughts on various aspects of Devolution to Panchayats emphasizing the significance of a shared vision, common goal and collaborative action towards advancing the process of Devolution to Panchayats for strengthening of Panchayati Raj system in the country. Underlining the impact of every self-reliant Panchayat contributing to a self-reliant nation, Shri Vivek Bharadwaj said that Panchayats which are the institutions of local self-governance in rural areas, have immense potential towards building our country. Underlining the value of Devolution Index, he added that the capacity of Panchayati Raj Institutions need to be developed financially and human resource-wise to match with the functions expected from them.
Empowering Panchayats and strengthening Panchayati Raj system are not just about local self-governance; it’s about fostering self-reliance and sustainability as a self-sufficient Panchayat is a cornerstone for building a Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) and Viksit (developed) India, added Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar delivered address on the Introduction to the National Consultative Workshop, outlining the well-designed technical sessions and the Workshop’s vital objective – contributing to the roadmap for Panchayati Raj.
Technical Session on Status of the Devolution to Panchayats in States was chaired by Shri Vivek Bharadwaj where presentation on draft report on the study ‘Status of Devolution to Panchayats’ was made by IIPA and discussion on the status of devolution to the Panchayats in the States based on six dimensions, i.e. Framework, Functions, Finances, Functionaries, Capacity building and Accountability took place. The inaugural day of the National Consultative Workshop also had detailed discussions and experience sharing sessions on Devolution of Functions and Finances to Panchayats: Experience Sharing by States, and Devolution of Functionaries and Capacity Building to Panchayats. States like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana made detailed presentation on the subject which was highly appreciated by all.
The National Consultative Workshop is a vital platform for in-depth deliberations on the findings and recommendations of the draft Study Report. The draft report, prepared by IIPA, reflects a thorough analysis of the current status and potential enhancements in the devolution process to Panchayats. The workshop aims to gather diverse perspectives, insights, and recommendations to enrich the final report and pave the way for Ranking of States on Devolution to Panchayats. The Additional Chief Secretaries/ Principal Secretaries / Secretaries in-charge of Panchayati Raj Department of States and UTs and representatives of the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and NITI Aayog are participating in two-day National Consultative Workshop.
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