An orientation training programme on Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (India@75) was organised by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj  for all 225 beacon Panchayats identified for Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. The programme was Chaired by Shri (Dr.) Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj and moderated by Shri (Dr.) Bijaya Kumar Behera, Economic Adviser, Ministry of Panchayati Raj. The programme was attended by Joint Secretaries of MoPR, representatives of State/UT Departments of Panchayati Raj, National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, State Institutes of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.  

At the outset, Shri (Dr.) Bijaya Kumar Behera, Economic Adviser, MoPR welcomed the august gathering of representatives of State/UT Departments of Panchayati Raj, National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR), State Institutes of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (SIRD&PRs) and Heads of Beacon Panchayats present for the orientation programme and explained in brief the purpose and outline for the virtual training programme.

In his opening remarks, Shri (Dr.) Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj extended warm welcome to all the participants and emphasised upon a pivotal role to be played by Beacon Panchayats in celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in rural India in true letter and spirit. Additional Secretary, MoPR highlighted the significance of celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and stated that Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is a series of events organized by the Government of India to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Independence, and the Amrit Mahotsav is being celebrated as a peoples’ movement across the country. Additional Secretary, MoPR informed the participants that various commemorative activities have been planned to be carried out by State/ UT Department of Panchayati Raj and Panchayati Raj Institutions across the country to celebrate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav as a Jan-Utsav in the spirit of Jan-Bhagidari through outreach initiatives like Jan-Samvaad and Jan-Jagran about Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. In this context, Additional Secretary, MoPR appealed the Beacon Panchayats to take the lead for celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in a befitting manner.

Additional Secretary, MoPR requested State/UT Department of Panchayati Raj and SIRD&PRs to start planning for activities to be carried out during the next two-three months with active involvement of all concerned. Additional Secretary, MoPR called upon Beacon Panchayats for celebration of various activities including the Independence Day with grandeur and gaiety, although it is imperative to follow certain preventive measures/ guidelines related to COVID-19 pandemic.

Additional Secretary, MoPR advised State/UT Department of Panchayati Raj and SIRD&PRs to prepare and bring out week-wise leaflet on the suggested themes such as 29 subjects/ matters listed under Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, localisation of six key goals under Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with critical Roles of PRIs etc. for wider dissemination through social media and WhatsApp Groups. Additional Secretary, MoPR requested all Beacon Gram Panchayats to set the target of setting up a library in Gram Panchayat with an aim to inculcate the habit of reading among rural youth/ kids. Suggested activities can be customised as per local conditions/suitability to mark the celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in an appropriate manner. Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav also provides an opportunity to showcase good practices/success stories of Beacon Panchayats and its replication in other parts of the country with proper documentation of all activities.

Thereafter a brief presentation was made by Shri (Dr.) Bijaya Kumar Behera, Economic Adviser, Ministry of Panchayati Raj on objectives behind selection of the Beacon Panchayats/Role of Beacon Panchayats in celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (India@75) as well as week-wise activities to be carried out as part of celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and expectations from Beacon Panchayats in celebrations of India@75. Broad features of Action Plan for celebrating India@75 and important themes for Regional Conferences and Special Gram Sabhas were shared with the participants through PPT presentation. Economic Adviser, Ministry of Panchayati Raj stressed the need for low-cost people-intensive campaign.

During the orientation training programme a detailed presentation on Futuristic Roles of Panchayati Raj Institutions was made by Shri (Dr.) Anjan Kumar Bhanja, Associate Professor, Centre for Panchayati Raj, Decentralised Planning and Social Service Delivery, NIRD&PR, Hyderabad. SIRD&PRs of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha and Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), Thrissur, Kerala also made brief presentation (PPT) on activities undertaken so far and planned for India@75. Department of Panchayati Raj, Government of Manipur made a presentation on various activities carried out since launch of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav on 12^th March 2021, and their endeavours were appreciated by Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

Smt. (Dr.) Romabai Lairenjam, Adhyaksha, Bishnupur District Panchayat, Manipur and Shri Narender Sarwan, DDPO, Gurugram, Haryana shared their experience on activities undertaken so far as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. There was an open forum for all participants to share their views in Question & Answer Session.

In his concluding remarks, Shri (Dr.) Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj underlined the need for collective efforts by all stakeholders to make Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav a grand success and a memorable one, and called upon all participants to contribute towards successful celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and ensure proper and timely documentation of all activities carried out under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. Smt. Malti Rawat, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj proposed a vote of thanks on this occasion.

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APS/MG/RNM