ITANAGAR, May 9:  “Proper grassroots governance, and training and learning all the best panchayat practices is a must”, said Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Minister Bamang Felix today during the flagging off ceremony for PRI members and officials to the best performing panchayats in the country. 

A 30-member team of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) delegates from West Siang, Leparada, Shi-Yomi, Lower Siang and Siang district, flagged off today from here by the RD & PR Minister will be undergoing a week-long capacity building and training at the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), Kerala. 

The exposure-cum-training visit is being organized by the State Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (SIRD&PR), Itanagar for the PRI members to learn from the best performing panchayats in the country. 

Today’s team of PRI delegates was the first batch of the programme and will be followed by another four teams of PRI delegates. The second batch consisting of PRI delegates from Lohit, Anjaw, Longding, Tirap and Changlang will leave for Sikkim on May 9. PRI delegates from Tawang, West Kameng, East Kameng, Papum Pare and Pakke Kessang, and from Kurung Kumey, Kra Daadi, Lower Subansiri, Upper Subansiri and Kamle will leave for Gujarat and Maharashtra respectively on May 23. The fifth batch for the programme from Upper Siang, East Siang, Lower Dibang Valley, Dibang Valley and Namsai will be undertaking the exposure-cum-training visit to Karnataka on June 20. 

Speaking to today’s team of delegates,  Felix exhorted them to try learning all the best panchayat practices so that the same can be adopted and implemented in the state. 

Emphasizing on the healthy growth and development of PRIs for upliftment of the rural masses, the Minister informed that the state government is committed to make PRIs in the state truly established with best of the panchayat practices in place, 

He lauded SIRD&PR, Itanagar for the initiative and called on each PRI members to shoulder the responsibility of making this initiative a success. 

The RD & PR Minister also extended his best wishes to all the teams who will be making the exposure-cum-training visits to best performing panchayats in the country. 

Among others, the flag off event was attended by Secretary RD & PR, Amarnath Talwade, SIRD&PR Director Habung Lampung.