Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 31 Jul: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today ordered officials to provide comprehensive training to newly elected Gram Pradhans, Kshetra Panchayat members, and Zila Panchayat members in modern technological applications, financial management, and effective governance.
Presiding over a review meeting of the Panchayati Raj Department held at the Secretariat here today, Dhami asserted that coordinated efforts at the grassroots level are vital to achieving the Prime Minister’s vision of transforming India into a developed nation by 2047.
The CM reiterated that true progress of the state and the country is rooted in the development of its villages. He also issued instructions for the establishment of Integrated Panchayat Buildings across Uttarakhand, in order to consolidate essential administrative and health services under one roof. These buildings will accommodate Gram Panchayat Development Officers, Patwaris, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), and other personnel. He also proposed a structured roster system to ensure coordinated service delivery and citizen convenience at a single location.
Stressing on the need for efficient budget utilisation, Dhami called for strategic planning within Gram Panchayats, Kshetra Panchayats, and Zila Panchayats to facilitate systematic development. In addition, he further directed the Panchayati Raj Department to conduct a long-term study projecting the rural to urban transition over next fifteen years, citing its relevance for holistic state development.
During the meeting, Dhami also recommended celebrating Gram Sabha Foundation Days as festive occasions. He suggested that these could be aligned with local fairs, commemorative events, anniversaries of notable personalities, and other village-level gatherings. He emphasised equitable and integrated development within Block and District Panchayats to ensure inclusivity in the implementation of welfare schemes.
Stressing on the significance of transparency and accountability, the CM also emphasised on the need for real-time monitoring of schemes at the Panchayat level. He advocated for the adoption of e-governance across Panchayat institutions and called for regular audits, with the resulting reports made accessible on public portals. Dhami further stressed that public feedback and active participation must be accorded due importance in development works and directed the formulation of a time-bound and structured grievance redressal mechanism across all Panchayats.
Among those present on the occasion included Infrastructure Monitoring Council Vice Chairman Vishwas Dawar, Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, Principal Secretaries RK Sudhanshu and R Meenakshi Sundaram, Secretary Chandresh Kumar Yadav, Additional Secretary Banshidhar Tiwari, and Director, Panchayati Raj, Nidhi Yadav.
