Need for greater coordination between gram, block, zila panchayats: Giriraj Singh

New Delhi: Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh on Monday called for greater coordination between village, block and district panchayats, and called upon representatives from the local bodies to ensure that sustainable development goals are met.

Virtually addressing a National Thematic Workshop on Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) in panchayats being held in Srinagar, Singh said the ‘Meri Panchayat Mobile app" launched on Monday will help increase transparency in the work of panchayati raj institutions.

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Kapil Moreshwar Patil attended the event.

Singh lauded Sinha for the panchayat polls being held in the Union territory, and said local governance institutions will play a major role in writing India's development story.

"We want our panchayats to be technologically enabled. This app is a new beginning in this direction," the minister said.

"The Modi government has a target to fulfil the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations by 2030. It is also the responsibility of panchayat representatives. People who voted for you are looking at you," he said.

Singh said making a panchayat prosperous is the responsibility of the sarpanch, and said information of all activities being undertaken by a panchayat should be uploaded on the App.

The minister also stressed on increasing the coordination between the different tiers of the panchayati raj system, adding that it has never been done before.

The panchayati raj system in India has three tiers – the gram panchayats at the village level, the mandal parishad or block samiti or panchayat samiti at block level and the zila parishad or district panchayat at district level.

The rural development minister also said panchayats will play a huge role in making India carbon neutral by 2030.

Around 1,000 elected representatives and functionaries of panchayati raj institutions from across the country, including from Jammu and Kashmir, will attend the national workshop. Panchayats that have taken initiatives in thematic areas have been invited to participate in the workshop.

The main objective of the workshop will be exhibiting the best strategies, approaches, convergent actions and innovative models in the context of capacity building & training. The workshop also aims to reflect on the themes of SDGs in the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).

Speaking on the 'Lakhpati Didi' scheme announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Independence Day, the minister said the aim is to meet the target of the scheme by December 2023.

The government is planning skill development training for two crore women under the 'Lakhpati Didi' scheme that aims to encourage them to start micro-enterprises.