Training Camp for Panchayat Representatives

by Madani Mohiuddin Ahmad

Nov. 21, 2006

Perhaps every one would welcome this news. Organizing a training camp for Panchayat Representatives is quite appealing, rational and most demanding; rather it is going to be a harbinger of regional growth, success and development, if the issues which were stuffed during the session sincerely executed and implemented, the nation herself will witness the success of Bihar.

But a challenge comes before we start dreaming.

After the Russian Revolution, one of the Russian leaders, after the stormy political weather settled down demanded, 'let every village of USSR (erstwhile) have electricity and school'. Today the result is obvious and by and large, no one denies the country’s overall development particularly the high technology. It doesn’t mean that a comparative study of a region with the other one should be a ground, but what is wrong if one tests all and holds fast which is good? The argument here is very simple: aren’t the village chiefs of Bihar aware of the basic needs of the people of their respective regions? Shouldn’t they be motivational and selfless at least with a certain degree of commitments toward their people who have democratically elected them? These small questions conceive facts and aren’t too utopian to realize in terms of the prevailing moral standard of the village chiefs. A good sum is incurred to materialize this democratic exercise. What is the return? A bitter irony is that even after independence, the village scene is still gloomy. Respected village chiefs perhaps would have introspected during the camp session they attended. A comprehensive preparation of the tasks related to their respective areas/villages can never be ignored. The soul of India resides in the village and those living there are the prime concern; or what does Panchayat Raj stand for?

A number of small scale industries in the village are on the verge of extinction. They are either no more or are dying slowly; a larger part of skilled villagers is migrating to the other states in search of petty jobs; highly educated village youths, due to non-availability of resources (physical and intellectual) are roaming like banjaras from one place to another. Are they that much backward? Caliber and hardworking youths of Bihar want the answer from their respected village chiefs who are far away from their beloved land. A few hundred MPs or MLAs are not held responsible for any type backwardness alone, the majority (village chiefs) is equally responsible where Bihar is specific.

Refinement of the human resource is the call of the time. A few lines from Chaucer is worth quoting here:

If gold rust, what shall iron do?

This should be the core issue before the Nitish government. Or calling it "financially strong panchayat raj" will fetch the State a hollow result. If not, then it will certainly be a landmark achievement of Nitishji’s government after a long 15 years of Jungle Raj.

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