Training Programs for Local Panchayat Members and Line Departments

Recently, Rural Development Institute HIHT organized two unique training programs for members of local governance and line departments in Kupwara and Rajouri district of Jammu & Kashmir and Didihat block of Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. HIHT is empanelled as Key Resource Center by the Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Govt. of India and Training Partner with Department of Panchayati Raj, Uttarakhand under Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan of GOI.

In Jammu & Kashmir, two training programs of three days each were organized between 26 and 30 December 2022 at Kupwara and Rajouri districts respectively. The entire training program was conducted in close coordination with the district authorities. Shri Vikas Kundal, District Development Commissioner (DDC), Rajouri and Shri D. S. Dattatreya, DDC, Kupwara graced the training program and addressed the participants. The trainings focused on sensitizing the local governance members on safe quality of drinking water, source management, sustainability, grey water management, conservation and rain water harvesting. The training sessions emphasized on community’s involvement, participation, role and responsibilities to ensure the functional tap water for individual household. Total 165 participants attended the trainings. During the entire training program the participants showed great interest and zeal to learn and understand the various aspects related to Jal Jeevan Mission.

In Uttarakhand, 4-day training programs were organized for village and block panchayat members in Didihat block and Zila panchayat members in Pauri Garhwal districts including the line departments, on localization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDPs) between 25 November 2022 and 24 January 2023. The major components of the training were localization of sustainable development goals, poverty eradication, health, child and women friendly villages, water sufficient villages, environment, sustainable infrastructure, development plans of village and block panchayats. Total 17 batches were conducted in which 1,155 participants were trained.

Both training programs were successfully completed despite extreme weather conditions, difficult terrain, diverse local languages and locations that were in the remotest districts in the states. The teams were very happy and satisfied by reaching out to these remote communities.