There’s a need to ensure proper utility of projects implemented for the public, according to Union Minister for Rural Development Narendra Singh Tomar.
“We are ready to allocate funds for projects but there is no point if people do not utilise them. That is the biggest hurdle concerning such projects, so utility by the public should be ensured,” Mr. Tomar said on the concluding day of the BRICS conference on ‘Participatory Local Budgeting’ here on Saturday.
The Minister was all praise for the Kerala model of three-tier local self-governance.
“Kerala started local budgeting and decentralisation decades ago. Though the State is known for the same nationwide, the world has also started hailing the State’s LSG model of the State,” he said.
Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac said that his interest lay largely in activities at the grassroots level.
“We need to ensure gender equality and women safety. A minimum of 10 per cent of the total budget should be managed and implemented by women for their programmes. Of course, care should be given to put in place measures to protect the environment to avoid future catastrophes,” Dr Isaac said.
The last day witnessed sessions on ‘Participatory Local Budgeting and Social Development’ and ‘Innovations and Best Practices in Participatory Local Budgeting.’
Russian representative and World Bank Task Team Leader Ivan Shulga explained the development outcomes in rural Russia of the ‘Local Initiative Support Programme’ (LISP).
“Across the Russian Federation, local communities and rural territories often lag behind large urban areas with respect to economic growth and continue to face development challenges caused by inadequate social services, insufficient infrastructure, and poor living conditions,” pointed out Mr. Shulga.
The programme became a platform for large civic engagements and interestingly, the projects under LISP were co-funded by the local population itself.
South African representative and UNDP Country Director Jaco Cilliers also shared his experience.
