Grama Jyothi Programme Empowerment of Panchayats

Grama Jyothi Programme Empowerment of Panchayats: Government of Telangana, Panchayat Raj, and Rural Development Department, Gram Panchayats – Grama Jyothi Programme – Empowerment of Panchayats for wholistic development of the Panchayats- Preparation of Village Development Plans -Comprehensive Guidelines – issued.

Reference:
1.Telangana State Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (adopted vide GO.Ms.No 9 PR&RD (Mandal) Department dated 12.9.2014).
2.G.O.Ms.No.289 PR&RD (Pts-I) Department, Dt. 01-08-1997
3.GO.Ms.No 464 PR&RD (MDL.I) Dept. Dated 20-12-2013
4.Memo No. 6214/ Pts. III/ A1/ 2015 PR & RD (Pts III) Dept.Dated 04-08-2015

ORDER:

1. Instructions were issued for the improvement of civic amenities in Gram panchayats and preparation of decentralized development plans in gram panchayats vide reference third read above, in view of the decision of the government to launch Gram Jyothi – a program to empower gram panchayats, it is considered essential to prepare village development plans for each gram panchayats through a participatory approach involving the Panchayat, the self help groups, people and all interested in the wholistic development of the village.
2. Seven Key Areas:
   Seven key areas covering the Drinking water and Sanitation Sector, Health and Nutrition Sector, Education, Infrastructure, Natural Resources Management, Agriculture, Social Security and Poverty Reduction have been considered to be critical for the wholistic development of the Gram Panchayat. Vide reference second read above instructions were given to constitute Functional Committees in the gram Panchayats. In the Context of the Gram Jyothi program which exclusively aims at empowering the Gram Panchayats, it is considered essential that Functional Committees be constituted as envisaged in the Gram Panchayat Act with a clear focus on actions to be taken and outcomes to be achieved. The Functional Committees shall also ensure the involvement of all the elected representatives and concerned stakeholders to focus on issues affecting the sector.
3. Enormous Social Capital in the nature of Self Help Groups (SHGs), Shrama Shakthi Sanghalu, Youth Groups, Community Based Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations retired Government Servants and individuals having experience in various social sectors available within the Gram Panchayat needs to be harnessed at the Gram Panchayat level for maximising the much required synergy in developmental planning.
4. Section 40 of Telangana State Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 provides for the constitution of Functional Committees for Agriculture, Public Health, Water Supply, Sanitation, Family Planning, Education, and Communication and for any other purposes of the Act.
5. Functional Committees:
   Considering the above and in supersession of orders issued earlier, Government after detailed examination hereby direct that all Gram Panchayats shall constitute at least Seven Functional Committees listed below, to achieve wholistic development of the Gram Panchayat.
   I. Sanitation and Drinking Water
   II. Health and Nutrition
   III. Education
   IV. Social Security and Poverty Reduction
   V. Natural Resource Management
   VI. Agriculture
   VII. Infrastructure
6. The composition of the Functional Committee shall be as follows:
   (a) The Chairperson of each Committee is suggested at the appropriate Functional Committee below.
   (b) One or more Ward Members
   (c) Self Help Group (SHG) Leader
   (d) One representative from any Community based organisation or NGO working in Gram Panchayat area
   (e) Any retired Government Servant living in GP area and having experience in the subject
   (f) Concerned Gram Panchayat level / Mandal Level Officer -Convener
7. The composition of the Committees shall be decided by the Government from time to time keeping in view the priorities of the subjects and policies.
8. The co-option of Government Officers shall be by their designation and not by name.
9. The period of office of the members of Functional Committee including those who are not ward members of the Gram Panchayat shall be coterminous with the term of the Gram Panchayat.
10. Every Functional Committee shall watch the progress of implementation of works and schemes related to the concerned subject and undertake planning for effective implementation of various developmental Programmes. Each functional committee shall necessarily conceive activities that will clearly define outcomes to be achieved over a period of time.
11. The Functional Committees shall adopt the following methodology for its activities for preparation of the Village Development Plan
12. Collection of related data from different sources including the representatives of the line departments implementing the programs
13. Reviews of the present status of the service
14. Inspect the village through a transect walk
15. Conduct Situational analysis
16. Use participatory methods in decision making
17. Assess Requirements of the community
18. Take stock of availability of resources
19. Prepare the plan for the Sector and allocate the resources and deliverable outcomes to be approved in the Gram Sabha.