Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during an orientation programme of newly-elected members of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI members) on Thursday advised them to consider the village issues as their own and make sincere efforts to solve them.
Addressing 1,06,352 PRI members, Patnaik congratulated them and said that this time the women have won in the majority. It has made Biju Babu’s dream of women’s empowerment a reality.
Emphasising the importance of the panchayat in governance and development plans, the Chief Minister said that the panchayat is the center of service. He asked the elected representatives to see that the public should not be deprived of government services. He also advised them to protect the rights of the poor, the women, and the marginalised.
Advising to implement 5T initiative in the development of their village, Patnaik said that through it the change in the village and panchayat can become a role model for others.
Stating that the public has put their trust in them, he advised the PRI members to never let the people down and serve them considering their trust as a sacred responsibility. It will earn them places in the hearts of the people forever, added the Chief Minister.
For the first time, the state government has decided to provide the training on disaster management, women empowerment, fruitful utilization of funds, etc to all 1,06,352 PRI members, which include 30 Zila parishad presidents, 822 ZP members, 314 block chairpersons, 6,479 panchayat samiti members, 6,749 sarpanchs and 91,913 ward members within six months.
