Bhubaneswar: A Rs 500 budget, a 20-minute deadline and a unique ‘King-Queen’ challenge helped Sarpanches understand the importance of prioritising resources, managing funds and preparing effective Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs).
The innovative learning exercise was organised by the State Institute for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (SIRD&PR) during a two-day training programme on GPDP preparation. The session aimed to provide practical lessons on project management and help Panchayat leaders understand how limited resources can be utilised effectively to address diverse community needs.
The special session was conducted by Santosh Kumar Patra, Deputy Director, SIRD&PR, with 63 Sarpanches from Balasore, Boudh, Jagatsinghpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Kendrapara, Keonjhar and Sonepur districts participating in the programme.
As part of the activity, the participants were divided into two groups and each group was given a budget of Rs 500. They were asked to select one member as the ‘King’ and another as the ‘Queen’ and prepare suitable costumes for them by purchasing materials from the market within 20 minutes.
The groups had to make decisions on purchasing items such as paper, scissors, staplers, glue, erasers, safety pins and sketch pens while staying within the allocated budget. The exercise turned into a practical demonstration of how Panchayats need to identify priorities and make informed choices while planning development projects.
At the end of the activity, trainers explained how each element of the exercise reflected real challenges in Panchayat planning. The Rs 500 budget represented the limited financial resources available with Gram Panchayats, while the selection of materials symbolised the process of assessing local requirements and prioritising development needs. The 20-minute time limit highlighted the importance of completing projects within fixed deadlines.
Officials said the objective of the exercise was to move beyond classroom-based learning and provide Sarpanches with hands-on experience in project management. Effective planning, prioritisation of needs and proper utilisation of resources are essential for preparing realistic and outcome-based GPDPs, they added.
The training programme also focused on enhancing Own Source Revenue (OSR) of Gram Panchayats, identifying potential revenue sources and ensuring better utilisation of available funds. Participants were trained on developing practical skills required for preparing development plans based on the actual needs and aspirations of villagers.
The participating Sarpanches expressed confidence that the training would help them strengthen their Panchayats, improve revenue generation and contribute towards building self-reliant Panchayats in line with the vision of ‘Bikashita Gaon Bikashita Odisha’.
