GAINING KNOWLEDGE: Elected representatives of the Mysore Zilla Panchayat at a training programme at Abdul Nazir Saab Institute for Rural Development in Mysore on Monday. — PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

MYSORE: For the battle-hardened members of the Mysore Zilla Panchayat, it was back to classroom training.

In an effort to create awareness about their role, functions and responsibilities, a workshop was organised to train the elected representatives in Mysore on Monday.

The workshop was meant to train them in various areas of the zilla panchayat functioning that do not fall in the routine sphere.

During the workshop, the members were explained about their role and responsibilities. One of the highlights of the workshop was the information about funding to the zilla panchayats.

The workshop focussed on providing information about the constraints of the zilla panchayats to fund programmes as a large chunk of funding to the panchayati raj institutions went to gram panchayats.

Funds

Chief Executive Officer of Mysore Zilla Panchayat Chennappa Gowda said the zilla panchayats did not have their own sources of funds, and that they were entirely dependent on the Government.

Drawing the attention of the members to the resource crunch, Mr. Gowda said of the Rs. 1.40 crore received by the Mysore Zilla Panchayat towards improvement of water supply, the needs of 42 zilla panchayat constituencies had to be met. The members, he said, should understand the practical difficulties while discharging the duties.

Allocation

He said that 80 per cent of the funding to the panchayati raj institutions was allocated for gram panchayats, and that the zilla panchayats had to manage with the limited funding available in 29 government departments and agencies. In the light of this situation, he said, the members had to understand the financial status of the zilla panchayats.

Earlier, president of the Mysore Zilla Panchayat Rajamma inaugurated the workshop.

Of the total 42 members of Mysore Zilla Panchayat, only 20 attended the workshop.

The training programme at the Abdul Nazir Sab State Institute for Rural Development (ANNSIRD) witnessed members, including Ms. Rajamma and zilla panchayat vice-president K. Mari Gowda, being asked to concentrate on implementing government programmes. ANNSIRD Director H. S. Ashokananda was present.

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