Source: The Sangai Express / Manipur Information Centre
New Delhi, April 23:
In all 147 delegates including 46 women from Manipur are taking part in the three-day National Convention of Chairpersons of District and Intermediate Panchayats, which was inaugurated by Mani Shankar Aiyar, Union Minister of Panchayati Raj last morning at Burari Ground, Outer Ring Road here.
Manipur delegation consists of 137 Pradhans of Gram Panchayat, three Adhyakshas of Zilla Parishad namely S Subhaschandra of Imphal West Zilla Parishad, Basanti of Imphal East Zilla Parishad and Abdul Latif of Thoubal Zilla Parishad and seven officials led by Y Neta Singh, Director of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Government of Manipur.
Y Neta Singh flagged off the Manipur delegation on April 18 at Panchayat Bhawan, Imphal for the National Convention.
The Manipur delegation arrived here
on April 21 .
Around 8000 delegates from 26 States and five UTs are participating in this National Convention.
This includes around 1500 women.
The delegates are mainly the Chairpersons of District and Intermediate Panchayats.
The officials and other invitees number around 2000 .
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj made elaborate arrangements for the Convention.
The participants are being housed in large hangars 36 in all, each of which has 288 beds.
Hence, there are arrangements for 10,000 persons to stay in the camp.
There are separate facilities for men and women.
The catering service in two separate halls provides North Indian and Andhra cuisine.
Each state delegation authorized two speakers to speak for five minutes each to give their comments on draft 15th Anniversary Charter prepared by the Core Committee yesterday.
The delegates highlighted the situation and issues relating to Panchayati Raj in their states.
Three technical sessions namely 'Devolution, Decentralization and Planning', 'Training needs of elected Panchayat representatives' and 'Creating a network of Panchayat representatives' were conducted and the 15th Anniversary Charter on "Inclusive Growth through Inclusive Governance" was adopted today.
On the concluding day tomorrow, State Ministers of Panchayati Raj will address the gathering.
Manipur Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Md Alauddin Khan will address the gathering.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and the UPA Chairman Sonia Gandhi will also address the gathering.