Ministry of Panchayati Raj holds Workshop in Kochi

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India organised the third Outreach Workshop on the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme at Kochi, Kerala, in collaboration with the Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala.

Addressing the workshop, Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, described the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme as a transformative initiative to strengthen Panchayats by enhancing their own source of revenue, promoting sustainable financial management and enabling them to harness local opportunities for inclusive development.

Smt. Tinku Biswal, Principal Secretary, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala, highlighted Kerala’s strong institutional framework for local governance and capacity building.

Speaking on Kerala’s capacity-building ecosystem, Dr. N. Devidas, Director General, KILA, explained how continuous training, competency-based learning and institutional support have contributed to strengthening democratic decentralisation in the State.

Dr. Divya S. Iyer, Principal Director, Local Self Government Department, urged Panchayats to adopt a long-term development vision by identifying local priorities, preparing professional project proposals and integrating future development needs into Gram Panchayat Development Plans.(UPDATED ON 7TH JULY 2026)