Decentralization

The 73rd Constitution (Amendment) Act 1993 of India has facilitated a ground breaking process of deepening democratization in the country. The Amendment envisions a larger, and vibrant role for Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) as institutions of local governance to promote economic development and social justice. Subsequently, both the Central government and state governments have taken measures in varying degree to enable PRIs to discharge their constitutional mandate. The Planning Commission of India in the Eleventh Five Year Plan has also highlighted that empowering PRIs, and involving them as the primary means of delivery of essential services are critical to ensure inclusive growth.

PRIs need adequate capacity building support to effectively discharge their assigned roles and responsibilities as institutions of local self governance. Appropriate training of PRI representatives given in time is one of the crucial components of capacity building process. The issue of training has been discussed and debated intensively on various forums. The Seventh Round Table of State Ministers of Panchayati Raj held at Jaipur in December 2004 adopted several action points on training of PRI representatives. Similarly, the Fifteenth Anniversary Charter on Panchayati Raj adopted in April 2008 by PRI representatives from all over the country demanded that panchayat representatives and officials should be provided sustained and high quality training through a system that fulfils their own training needs.
Acknowledging the importance of drafting state specific training and capacity building framework, the National Capability Building Framework (NCBF) designed by MoPR, has also suggested state governments to undertake state-wide training needs assessment of PRI representatives.