Agartala, May 4 (UNI) The Panchayat department of Tripura signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with IIM Shillong to impart advanced management and public administration training to the public functionaries of three-tier panchayats.

Besides officials of over 1100 panchayat bodies, elected representatives of three-tier panchayats would get the training from IIM on standard modules in a phased manner for developing better management skills, officials said, adding that the association with IIM Shillong would be helpful for the development of Tripura.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, here addressing a gathering in the celebration of National Panchayati Raj Day, said that the 15th Finance Commission awarded a gap grant of Rs 157 crore to Tripura for the last financial year.

He said the grant received from the Finance Commission has been distributed at various levels, including panchayats and village councils. Besides infrastructure development, the fund was used for service and facilities expansion, community development, and upgradation of rural infrastructure.

“Under BJP’s rule in seven years, all Panchayats in Tripura have become disability-friendly, publishing the monthly newsletter ‘Gram Srijan’ and the annual report of the Panchayat department to realise the Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat,” Dr Saha pointed out.

The state government undertook several initiatives to empower the three-tier Panchayati Raj System. In the past two years, 44 new Panchayat Bhavans, four District Panchayat Resource Centres, and eight Panchayat Learning Centres have been established, while an initiative has been taken for ISO-standard upgrade of 25 institutions, including 15 panchayats.

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