5-day programme to improve functioning of Panchayati Raj Institutions begins in Jammu

Jammu, Sep 9 (PTI) A five-day programme to enhance the leadership, management, and governance skills of elected representatives and functionaries of Panchayati Raj Institutions commenced here on Monday, an official said.

The residential management development programme (MDP) is being organised by the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj at the Indian Institute of Management, Jammu. It is hosting 32 participants from 11 states and Union Territories and will culminate on September 13, the official said.

“The MDP is a pioneering initiative designed to empower PRI leaders — presidents and vice presidents of district panchayats, block panchayat samitis, and other panchayat officials — with the knowledge and tools necessary to drive community leadership effectively,” a spokesperson of IIM-Jammu said.

“The five-day intensive programme covers critical topics such as leadership, management and ethics, resource mobilisation and convergence, rural innovation, effective project management, and the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in governance,” the spokesperson said.

During the inaugural session, he said 32 participants from Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Jammu and Kashmir discussed challenges in governance, their expectations from the MDP, and their hopes for enhancing their learning and skills through this initiative.

The programme’s curriculum, featuring expert-led sessions, case studies, and interactive discussions, is designed to foster collaborative governance and effective local administration, the spokesperson said.

He said the participants are expected to return to their communities with enhanced capabilities to deliver better services and improve the quality of life for rural citizens.