The three-day National Workshop on Localization of Sustainable Development Goals in Gram Panchayats through Adopting Thematic Approaches: Theme 4 & 5: Water Sufficient and Clean & Green Gram Panchayat begins in Pune, Maharashtra tomorrow. The Workshop is being organised by the Ministry of Panchayat Raj, Government of India, in collaboration with Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Government of Maharashtra.

The National Workshop will be inaugurated by Shri Kapil Moreshwar Patil, Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Shri Girish Mahajan, Minister of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Government of Maharashtra, Shri Gulabrao Patil, Minister of Water Supply and Sanitation, Government of Maharashtra along with Shri Sunil Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Shri Rajesh Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Government of Maharashtra and other dignitaries and local public representatives.

Chief Minister of Maharashtra will grace the concluding session in virtual mode and deliver valedictory address. Different technical sessions will be chaired by Secretaries to the Government of India including Shri Sunil Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Shri. Nagendra Nath Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, Smt. Vini Mahajan, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti; and Smt. Archana Varma, Additional Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Shri Kapil Moreshwar Patil and Shri Girish Mahajan and other eminent dignitaries will also inaugurate an exhibition tomorrow and visit different thematic stalls showcasing various developmental schemes and initiatives and achievements of Panchayati Raj Institutions in the thematic areas.

Elected representatives and functionaries of Panchayati Raj Institutions from Maharashtra and across the country will attend the National Workshop. Around 1,500 participants are expected to attend the National Workshop. Participants will be consisting of elected representatives from Gram Panchayats, NGOs, officials from ZPs and other line Departments, key stakeholders, domain experts and agencies doing exemplary work on water and sanitation.

Shri Anand Bhandari, State Project Director, RGSA, Maharashtra and Dr. Mallinath Kalshetti, DDG, YASHADA and Director, SIRD&PR, Maharashtra will propose vote of thanks during the National Workshop. A well-designed ‘Experience Sharing and Learning from the Field’ exercise in the form of field visits will be the major attraction for the participants / delegates on the third day of the National Workshop.

The National Workshop endeavours to achieve following objectives during the period of three days:

• Creating a space for peer-learning for Gram Panchayats by exchange ideas and experience sharing with other States
• Facilitating dialogue between elected representatives of Panchayats and civil society organisations
• Strengthening implementation strategy on Theme 4 & 5: Water Sufficient and Clean & Green Gram Panchayat
• Releasing Maharashtra State Roadmap on SDG localisation in Panchayats
• Disseminating and deliberating innovative ideas around theme 4 and 5.

The National Workshop will serve as an appropriate platform for deliberative action and experiential learning for the Gram Panchayats. It will be participatory and exploratory which will adopt three-fold process:

1. Video presentations: Presentations will be made by Panchayats and domain experts by showing the video prepared on the exemplary work they have been doing for last few years. They will showcase the process they had adopted, and impact created in their respective Gram Panchayats or area of intervention. PPT or long talks has deliberately been discouraged to engage elected representatives in the workshop and bring learning through video demonstrations.   
2. Group / Panel discussions: Panels consisting of Panchayats, domain experts, NGOs along with senior officials have been formed which will be chaired by respective Secretary of the concerned Department. Based on the video presentations, panel will discuss the topic shown in the video to be facilitated by senior officials. Representative questions from participants will be taken and addressed by participating Gram Panchayats and experts.
3. Field Visit: Deliberations and discussions will not be confined to the four walls of the workshop venue but it will take participants from other States to the Gram Panchayats of Maharashtra to showcase the work Gram Panchayats in Maharashtra have undertaken. State representatives will travel to assigned Gram Panchayats and have first-hand experience of the work done and impact it has created. This will help participants to understand the process the Gram Panchayats in Maharashtra adopted. Field visit will be coordinated and facilitated by SIRD&PR, Maharashtra, YASHADA, Pune along with Department of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Government of Maharashtra.

The following important activities will be conducted over the period of three days during the National Workshop:

• Release of Maharashtra State SDG Roadmap on SDG localisation
• Launching of MahaEGram portal which would consist of-

• SDG Dashboard for the State of Maharashtra
• e-Payment Gateway
• Online Certificates
• Mobile app – MahaEGram Citizen Connect

• Release of booklets on theme 4 and 5
• Release of book on LSDG posters prepared through poster competitions
• Showcasing of exhibition stalls on theme 4 and 5
• Cultural program showcasing folk-culture in Maharashtra through dance and other art forms
• Field visits to Gram Panchayats in Maharashtra.

Background:

Sustainable Development Goals adopted by United Nations came into effect from January 1, 2016. Ministry of Panchayat Raj, Government of India has adopted thematic approach to SDGs – It is approach to ensure ‘local action’ for achieving ‘global plan’. The approach aims to localise SDGs in rural areas through PRIs, especially Gram Panchayats by clubbing 17 ‘goals’ into ‘9 themes’. Appropriate policy decisions and revisions have followed resulting into revamping of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) and Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) Guidelines which smoothens the process of Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) in Gram Panchayats.  In pursuance to the agenda of localising Sustainable Development Goals in Panchayats, Ministry of Panchayat Raj, Government of India is organising a series of thematic workshops at different locations in close collaboration with State/ UT Departments of Panchayati Raj, State Institutes of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (SIRD&PRs), line Ministries/ Departments and other stakeholders.

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