Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu on Thursday called on elected panchayati raj institution (PRI) representatives to strengthen grassroots democracy through inclusive planning, effective implementation of schemes and close coordination with govt machinery.Addressing elected PRI representatives during the inaugural session of the extended four-day state-level interaction and orientation programme organised by the panchayati raj department here, Khandu congratulated the newly elected zilla parishad chairpersons (ZPCs), zilla parishad members (ZPMs), and gram panchayat chairpersons (GPCs) for securing a public mandate in the recent panchayat elections, an official report said.
Explaining the structure of the programme, the CM said the first two days would involve joint training sessions for all ZPCs, ZPMs and GPCs. He said the technical sessions were designed to make the panchayati raj system more robust by covering govt schemes, latest technologies and administrative processes.Highlighting Arunachal Pradesh’s two-tier panchayati raj system, he said the model was adopted to ensure efficiency and clarity of roles, given the state’s unique demographic and geographical conditions. He described panchayati raj as the foundation of grassroots democracy and stressed that elected representatives carry responsibility in reflecting public opinion and democratic values in village development planning.Sharing data on PRI representation, Khandu said the state has 27 ZPCs, 245 ZPMs, and 2,108 GPCs, along with over 8,000 gram panchayat members. He said that due to space constraints, only 50% of GPCs were invited for the present training, adding that district-wise and zonal-level programmes would be organised soon for wider outreach.The CM said the govt would undertake delimitation during the next panchayat election cycle, following the upcoming census, to make PRIs more effective. He said the State Election Commission has already been empowered to carry out the exercise.
