SRINAGAR: Lok Sabha Speaker, Shri Om Birla will inaugurate Parliamentary Outreach Programme for the Empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir on 31 August, 2021 (Tuesday) here.
Besides Shri Birla, Union Minister of State (IC) for the Ministries of Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office; Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space Dr. Jitendra Singh; Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha; Union Minister of State, Shri Prahlad Singh Parel; Members of Parliament; Former Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Nirmal Kumar Singh and other eminent dignitaries will grace the occasion.
The Parliamentary Outreach Programme for the Empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions is a unique initiative of the Lok Sabha Speaker, Shri Om Birla. A first of its kind Programme, it is intended to strengthen the institution of governance and planning at the grass-root level.
The first such Outreach Programme was organized at Dehradun, in the State of Uttarakhand on 08th January, 2021. The Programme was physically attended by 445 Panchayat representatives. In addition, approximately 40,000 Panchayat representatives and officials were connected to the programme online via web link.
The second Outreach Programme was organized at Shillong on 26 February, 2021 for the State of Meghalaya and other North Eastern States. Around 115 members of the local bodies of North Eastern States physically attended the programme. Besides, a large number of participants from all of the North Eastern States joined the programme through online mode.
The third such programme in the series was recently organized for the grass root level institutions of the Union Territory of Ladakh on 27 August, 2021. Around 195 number of Panchayat representatives attended the programme.
The fourth such programme is scheduled to be organized for the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir on 31 August, 2021 at Srinagar. The theme of the programme is “Parliamentary Outreach Programme for the Empowerment of the Panchayati Raj Institutions”.
The broad objectives of the Programme are:-
i. Create mass awareness/mass participation
ii. Create self confidence/self respect for the ground level leaders
iii. Creation of sense of ownership of the assets that have been created
iv. Fuelling the ambitions for grass root political leaders for democratic values
v. Creating the awareness about the various schemes and the doorstep delivery – opportunities for development work
vi. Opportunity to develop a network and push the aspirational level of the ground level leadership.
Shri Birla will also visit Pahalgam and Gulmarg to meet the Panchayat representatives.
Delegates have already started arriving at Srinagar for the programme.
On his arrival at Srinagar, Shri Birla said that recently Parliament’s engagement with grass-root level democratic institutions has taken a huge leap. He added that 14 Parliamentary Committees with more than 300 MPs have visited the UT of Jammu and Kashmir which reflects the commitment of the Parliament towards democracy and development at the grass-root level in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
Shri Birla also said that the Members have met with the common people and listened to their problems, which has created a positive atmosphere in the Union Territory.
Speaking about the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav Shri Birla said that in the glorious journey of the 75 years of independence, Indian democracy has gone from strength to strength and the successive goverments have contributed to strengthen democracy in India.
Shri Birla informed that the Outreach initiative of the Parliament is a step towards capacity building and improving accountability and transparency of the Panchayati Raj Institutions.
Lauding the development initiatives in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Shri Birla said that the comprehensive action plan of development will prosper the UT and the fruits of development will reach the last man standing in the row.
