Going beyond political barriers, the representatives of various parties got together at the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) on Friday with a common agenda of strengthening gram kendras at various panchayat wards.
The KILA organised the workshop for representatives of political parties to create awareness on the role of gram kendras in rural development.
In all, 76 leaders of political parties that have representation in the State Assembly and the Lok Sabha, and other registered political parties attended the workshop.
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Addressing the workshop, KILA director P.P. Balan said the functioning of gram kendras could be successful only with the commitment of the political parties.
Course director Peter M. Raj delivered the introductory speech.
M. Renu Kumar and T. Radhakrishnan led classes on democratic decentralisation and sevagram gram kendras respectively.
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The workshop with an objective of improving efficiency of gram kendras with the help of political parties would be held in various districts, Mr. Balan said.
Besides this, special workshops would be held for representatives of each Assembly constituency and panchayat.
DCC President O. Abdu Rahiman Kutty; DCC secretaries A.R. Radhakrishnan, C.O. Jacob, C.I. Sebastian; Muslim League district president C.H. Rasheed and secretary P.K. Shahul Hameed; A.N. Radhakrishnan, T.T. Sivaraman, M. Krishnadas (CPI(M); former president of the district panchayat K. Sreekumar; former deputy mayor of the Corporation M.Vijayan (CPI); BJP district secretary A. Unnikrishnan; Unnikrishnan Eacharath (BJP); P.V. Kuriakose [Kerala Congress (M)] ; Polson Alappat [Kerala Congress (Jacob)]; Rajan Paikkad (Forward Block); P.S. Uthaman, K.V. Mathew [Congress (S)]; E.A. Dinamani (NCP); K.P. Anil Kumar, Sunny Thottungal (RSP); Vikas Chakrapani, P. Vijayakumar (CMP) ; P.V. Ayyappan (BSP); Rajesh Kumar (AAP) Sheeba Babu [Janata Dal (S)]; Antony Francis [Kerala Congress (B)]; Basheer Taivalappil (JDU); and P.S. Ummer (PDP) participated in the workshop.