In order to achieve sustainable development goals, a national level Training of Trainers (ToT) program for Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) was conducted at NIRDPR, Rajendranagar by Former Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), Government of India S.M. Vijayanand, IAS, Retd.
In his inaugural address, Vijayanand emphasized upon the significance of planning for socially secured Gram Panchayats through social inclusion, social justice and equity for the marginalized sections.
A training calendar is being planned by NIRDPR to train 200 State Level Master Trainers (SLMTs) in each theme in 40 batches eaching carrying 50 persons for Capacity Building & Training of Panchayats on LSDGs. Meeting the requirement of the LSDGs, the first batch of ToT programme on “Theme 7- Socially Secured and Socially Just Village” is being organised from 01 – 03 August 2022. A total number of 51 participants from six states covering Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are attending this training of trainers programme.
It is said that to deliver on SDGs at local level by the 2.54 lakh Gram Panchayats in the country, an expert committee constituted by the MoPR has recommended nine thematic areas along with 168 local targets and 389 indicators.
Now the Gram Panchayats, while formulating the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP), will have to take into account the local contexts in the achievement of SDGs right from setting targets to determining the means of implementation and using indicators to monitor the progress.
While addressing the inaugural session, Dr. Anjan Kumar Bhanja, Faculty & Head, CPRDP&SSD, NIRDPR explained the aims and objectives of the training program and highlighted the thematic approach to GPDP and the joint advisories issued by different Ministries for LSDGs.
Dr. Pratyusna Patnaik, Faculty & Programme Director, CPRDP&SSD, emphasized the targets and indicators of the Theme-7 of LSDGs and explained inclusiveness of marginalized sections in local governance for achieving socially secured village and socially just village.
On the second day of the program, Dr.Chandra Shekhar Kumar, IAS, Additional Secretary, MoPR, Government of India, joined through online and had intense interaction with the SLMTs. He suggested that NIRDPR should develop a portal for maintaining the database of SLMTs and to track the field level training activities conducted by them. He said that each Gram Panchayat shall take a “Sankalp” on minimum one and maximum 3 themes to saturate on related goals in next 2-3 years. He also advised each SLMTs to adopt five Gram Panchayats in their respective states.
