Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

Citizens Centres' representatives meet

Staff Reporter

There are more than 100 centres across the State

CHENNAI: Representatives of the Citizens Centres, mooted by the Catalyst Trust in various local bodies across the State, gathered in the city on Sunday to discuss progress and chalk out a future course of action.

The role of the centres was to function as information gathering, monitoring and questioning independent entities that also help to create a synergy between the various organisations, students and volunteers in an area.

There are more than 100 centres across the State, run by retired government officials, panchayat presidents and individuals concerned, which have helped local communities with a variety of services. Members debated the merits of outside funding and networking with political parties, shared success stories and problems and presented suggestions for improvement. "Government services are increasingly becoming services to the poor," pointed out A.K. Venkat Subramanian, trustee, Catalyst Trust, "These centres are therefore serving the underprivileged by seeking to improve the public institutions for education, health and nutrition."

The Trust hopes that Panchayats would take on the role of the centres since they are endowed with the power to monitor and collect information.

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