How can an effective Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) be prepared by setting the right priorities while balancing limited funds, fixed timelines and the diverse needs of the people?
The State Institute for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (SIRD&PR) demonstrated this through an innovative and practical game-based exercise.
A special session on the relevance of project management in the preparation of Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) was held as part of a two-day training programme organised at SIRD&PR. The session was conducted by Santosh Kumar Patra, Deputy Director, SIRD&PR.
A total of 63 Sarpanches from Balasore, Boudh, Jagatsinghpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Kendrapara, Keonjhar and Sonepur districts participated in the training programme.
During the session, the participants were divided into two groups, with each group provided a budget of Rs 500. Each group was tasked with selecting one member as the King and another as the Queen and dressing them for their respective roles. The participants were given only 20 minutes to purchase the necessary materials from the market, including paper, scissors, staplers, glue, erasers, safety pins and sketch pens, among others.
At the end of the game, the fundamental lessons of project management embedded in the exercise were explained to the participants. The Rs 500 budget represented the limited funds available to a Gram Panchayat. Similarly, the selection of materials required to dress the King and Queen reflected the assessment of the actual needs of villagers and the setting of priorities, while the 20-minute time limit represented the fixed timelines involved in Gram Panchayat planning and project implementation.
The two-day training programme focused on how Gram Panchayats can increase their Own Source Revenue, the various sources available to them for generating such revenue, and the planned and effective utilisation of available resources. The training also emphasised developing the knowledge and practical skills required to prepare robust, realistic and result-oriented GPDPs based on the actual needs of villagers.
The participating Sarpanches expressed confidence that they would play an active role in increasing the Own Source Revenue of their respective Panchayats, building self-reliant Panchayats and contributing towards achieving the vision of ‘Bikashita Gaon Bikashita Odisha’.
