Capacity Building Workshop for PRIs at Ferrargunj

THE LIGHT OF ANDAMANS | ISSUE 27 | 17 FEB 2012

Capacity Building Workshop for PRIs at Ferrargunj

By Staff Reporter

A Capacity Building Training - cum- workshop for the elected representatives and officials associated with the Panchayati Raj Institutions for Ferrargunj Tehsil was held on 13th Feb in the Community Hall of Ferrargunj. Shri S. S. Balakrishnan Nair, Adhyaksh, Zilla Parishad, South Andaman was the Chief Guest of the Programme.

Speaking on the occasion Shri S. S. Balakrishnan Nair, Adhyaksh, Zilla Parishad, South Andaman promised to take up various issues raised by the PRIs with the Administration. He further said that the Zila Parishad would be taking up all unfinished projects and complete them in a stipulated time. He urged the members to identify sustainable community development projects through watershed management programmes. He also cleared various doubts and queries raised by the members.  

Shri M. P. Rajmohan, BDO & EO, Panchayat Samiti, Ferrargunj spoke in detail about the provisions contained in the Grant in Aid to Panchayati Raj Institution (Amendment) Rule -2012. Shri Anjan Das, Joint Director, Directorate of Agriculture spoke about the various schemes of devolved functions of the Agriculture department with the PRIs. Smti Irene Nicolas, CDPO, Ferrargunj enlightened the participants about schemes of Social Welfare Dept. Shri T. K. Biswas, AFDO, Fisheries Dept., Panchayat Samiti, Ferrargunj informed the participants about schemes of Fisheries dept. Shri. C. J. Joseph, SCA, Panchayat Samiti, Ferrargunj spoke about soil and water Conservation techniques. Shri Nagender, Programme officer, SA District, NRHM, Shri Chella Perumal, A. E. RCD, Wimberlygunj, Shri Rajan, JE, Panchayat Samiti, Ferrargunj explained about Annual Maintenance Contract of Street Lighting in Gram Panchayats. Shri Manohar Singh, Ex-SE Elect, Chairman, Elect, CGRF, A & N Islands, explained about the functions of Electricity- Consumer Grievances Redressal Forum. Shri A. Sinha Roy, Executive Officer, KVIB, explained in detail about PMEGP Scheme, Shri Abdul Rasheed, ARCS, Coop Dept. spoke on types of Coop societies and schemes of Cooperative department.

An Interactive session was also conducted wherein the PRI members interacted with the officials of the line dept. and the Adhyaksh, Zila Parishad, S/ Andaman. They came up with valuable suggestion about implementations of various schemes and grievances in day to day functioning of the PRIs. Shri Abdul Aziz, Pradhan Stewartgunj Gram Panchayat appreciated that such a training programme was held wherein  the PRI's from the panchayat ward member to a Zilla Parishad member attended and got enlightened about various schemes and provisions of various departments.. Commenting on the scheme of destitute women of social welfare wherein a woman has to give an affidavit of not remarrying in case of availing the scheme, he felt was discriminatory and robs a woman to lead a life of dignity. He was also critical of certain provisions contained in the recently released notification of PRI's which has stringent provisions for the elected representatives and very few for the engineers or officials concerned. He was critical of the schedule of work which is to be carried all the way to the EE PRI at Junglighat for sanction or award of work and billing whereas an AE is available at the Panchayat Samiti level who can very well do this work as is the prevalent practice prior to this notification. He was also disillusioned with imminent delays in granting of NOC's for civil works by the revenue authorities severally affecting execution of developmental works in the monsoon prone islands which has very few dry months for carrying these out. Other Gram Pradhans of Ferrargunj tehsil area also agreed with the above submission. Shri AP Jabir expressed his dissatisfaction over the Annual maintenance contract of Street lights where the contractor and engineer are given more authority than the elected representative. Shri VM Abdul Aziz, a social worker of Brindaban expressed his dissatisfaction over the manner in which the administration is conducting the Socio-economic and caste census ignoring the PRI's. He said that the PRI's will boycott such census if they are not involved as they know their constituency's people better than the enumerators.  

Officials from all line departments enlightened the participants about various schemes and programmes of the departments. The Programme was attended by 300 participants including Zila Parishad members, Panchayat Samiti members, Gram Pradhans, Panchayat ward members and officials of various departments under Ferrargunj Tehsil.

Shri Mohd. Safique, Pramukh, Panchayat Samiti, Ferrargunj proposing vote of thanks appreciated the efforts of Block Development Officer and Directorate of  (RD, PRIs & ULB), for organizing a capacity building training cum workshop which greatly benefited the PRIs of Ferrargunj tehsil area. Shri Shahid Meshack, PO, MGNREGA, Ferrargunj, coordinated the Programme.