A virtual district-level orientation program on the preparation of thematic Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) for FY 2023-24 was held at National Informatics Centre (NIC), Kargil on January 2.

The orientation program was organised by the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, UT Ladakh in collaboration with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), GoI. Resource persons of the program were Dr. Mohd Tauqueer Khan, Consultant, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, and Yogesh Kumar, Consultant, NIC, MoPR, GoI.

The program focused exclusively on People’s Plan Campaign-2022 for the preparation of thematic GPDP under Localized Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) mapped into nine themes by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, including Poverty Free and Enhanced Livelihoods Village, Child-friendly Village, Women-friendly Village, Healthy Village, Self Sufficient Infrastructure Village, Socially Secured Village, Water Sufficient Village, Village with Good Governance and Clean and Green Village.

The thematic approach to GPDP with a focus on LSDGs would ensure the convergence of resources and augment community participation at the panchayat level in consonance with all stakeholders and line departments. It is also aimed to achieve saturation on all SDGs by 2030.

Dr. Mohd Tauqueer Khan and Yogesh Kumar gave a detailed presentation on the process, procedure, action plan, and activities regarding the preparation of thematic GPDP and a demonstration on uploading the approved GPDP on the eGram Swaraj portal.

They also briefed about the continuous orientation and handholding support provided by the MoPR to States/UTs on the revamped portal for preparation of thematic GPDP.

Earlier, DPO Kargil apprised the officers about the nine themes related to the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that must be achieved by 2030 through Panchayats.

She suggested line departments work in coordination and prepare a plan in convergence mode. A detailed discussion was held in which officers from various departments put forth their views regarding plans to achieve the SDGs.