l ineamientos Para el desarrollo del Programa

Three years training schedules of B.D.P.C^s in Punjab* 196 3 - 6 6 *

No# of B.D.P#Qfs Trained Type of Training No#

of courses 1965/64 1964/65 1965/66 25 at two courses Orientation Training 58 (iBwly 15 (newly recruited recruited 28 at two courses Job Training 140 in batches (b) Sugar-Cane 1

*

Training programmes for B.D.P.O's as discussed above seem to be inadequate* First, they are too short to equip adequately a person whose job is to provide leadership to a people!s movement and to coordinate and guide staff to help people in solving their

various problems* Second, the government sometimes does not make full use of the available facilities of training* For example, it deputed B.D.P.O's for neither Third orientation nor job training

course in 1963-64* Third, the government does not follow any sequence

of training. B.D.P.O's should first get orientation training. It

should be followed by job training. Certain subjects of teaching in the job training are either to be continued from where left off or dealt with in greater detail than already done in the orientation course. The Punjab Government did the other way. They deputed newly recruited

B.D.P.O's in 1964-65 and 1965-66 straight to job training without

first deputing them to orientation training. This xis a defective method because there \araylack of any correlation between the two types of training. Fourth, with a few exceptions, the training

suffers from general inadequacy of competent and suitable instructors. The training is not adequate to cope with the need of

communicating scientific and technical knowledge to villagers. It is felt that most of the trainees are not equipped suitably §s the

vehicle for conveying to villagers even such technical knowledge as is available at the block level. This particular aspect of the training

the staff in these training centres should understand and appreciate

these methods. * The TJ.N. Commission also holds similar views* They

feel"that though training courses have laid down certain layers of information in the minds of the trainees, they have not stimulated a lively, alert, sensitive approach to village and rural problems, with the result that they do their work with their minds lulled to

sleep by much learning and teaching, and without adopting, questioning,

2*

testing all that they have heard in their training courses.

Training is adversely affected by frequent transfer? of instructors who acquire experience* They are generally replaced by untrained and fresh entrants to the job.

This would lead us to conclude that the methodology changes in training and gearing the government machinery to cope with the requirements of training can alone meet the needs of effective intro­ duction and implementation of development programmes. All this suggests a radical change in training programmes.

Training of Non-officials

The training of non-officials of local bodies is complementary to that of the officials, as both of them are partners in the institutions

Mehta Heport, Vol.l., p.70.

p

* U.K. Mission Report on the Working of Community Development programme of India, (1959;.

197-

aiming at the welfare of the citizens. The training of the non­

officials helps them in understanding their role properly leading

to greater efficiency. Training is all the more important for non­

officials of Panchayati Raj bodies, for it is for the first time in Indian history that a conscious attempt has been made to set up at

the village level units of local administration for planning and

development and endow them with vast powers. Their training can be of

great benefit for the community as a whole. A trained non-offical would be more responsible and effective which is essential for the

growth and stability of democracy at the village level. The under­

standing of intricate procedural details can help in proper utilisation of power. **■*

A joint training course for officials and non-officials would result in an increased harmonious relationship between them. Accordingly, the Punjab Government made provision for such training in

three phases as soon as the non-officials of P.R. bodies were

elected in I96I. The first phase lasted from May 20 to June 15,

I96I at Gram Sevaks’ Training Centres at Batala and Nabha, and

the Kamla Nehru Panehayat Shiksha Kendra, Raj.. There were

three courses in the first phase, each of seven days’ duration

in which 2,144 persons in all, officials from Commissioners

block participated. The B.D.P.O*s, Extension Officers and Sarpanches trained in this phase, worked as instructors in the second phase, which continued from July 30 to August 5> 1961. The duration of each

camp was of 7 days and there were in all 227/ camps, one in each Block

(except in the two blocks of Lahaul and Spiti) in which about 79>000 persons such as Sarpanches, workers at the village level of the Development and Panehayat Department, Extension Officers, Panehayat Secretaries and Secretaries of co-operative societies participated. In the Third Phase, the chairmen, vice chairmen, members of Zila Parishads and Panehayat Samitis were given specialised training for 10 days at the three Gram Sewaks* Training Centres mentioned above.

Each centre conducted’' eight courses from November 5> 1961 to the end

of January 1962.

While the Government tried to train almost all the non­ officials in the three phases of this programme, the training was inadequate. It consisted mainly of lectures by officials which the majority of non-officials, being illiterate could not fully under­

stand. Proficiency at least in reading and writing in the regional language should be the minimum qualification of members of Panchayati Raj. The training also suffered from lack of competent instructors. Participants in Phase I of the prggramme were required to act as

x

with such inadequate training without any well thought out and planned syllabi had hardly done any justice to their jobs.

Twelve new Panchayati Raj Training Centres were started in

1964 to impart institutional and peripatetic training to members of