IMPHAL October 13: A two day workshop on `Role on Media to strengthen the Panchayati Raj System in Manipur`™organised by the All Manipur Working Journalists Union began at the Classic Hotel today.
The State department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj is sponsoring the workshop.
The inaugural of the workshop was graced by Deputy Chief Minister G Gaikhangam as the chief guest whereas professor N Mohendro was a special guest with AMJWU president W Shamjai as the president. Rural development & Panchayati Raj principal secretary J C Ramthanga and Manipur State Panchayat Parishad vice president Md Abdul Latif also attended the inaugural.
In his speech at the inaugural, Gaikhangam said Panchayati Raj or the ground level of the Indian parliamentary democracy is in a dormant state and the need of the hour is to make it pro active for development and welfare of the people of the State.
Communication gap between people is the main reason for misunderstandings between people, he added.
He attributed lack of honesty, sincerity and the ability to think as the root cause for the failure of the State in functioning well.
The functionaries, functional and funds are the 3Fs playing crucial role in the devolution of power while developing the State or the country which need to be analysed closely at the grass root level, the deputy CM said.
He further said that the people of the State should be aware of the powers vested by the Constitution otherwise they will become beggars in their own State.
Speaking at the occasion, N Mohendro said it is time for the people of the State to change the concept of rural development from the periphery to the foundation.
The foundation of development is in rural areas as manpower, area and abundant resources are found there and what is required is to spread awareness to the people living in the rural areas on how to tap these resources, he added.
He also pointed out the present deprivation in rural areas such as knowledge gap, information gap, communication gap, lack of guidance for the organisations of the poor and consumerism.
The role of the media is to give information, communication and education (ICE), he added.
He also appealed to all the newspaper agencies to reserve a column about Panchayati Raj to bring transparency between elected members and the people.