A group of lawyers, former judges of Supreme Court and High Courts and former bureaucrats have come together to empower all members of grama panchayath, block panchayath and district panchayaths. They are also taking law to the last man in the State to drive home the lessons that all are equal before law and in a society governed by law the young should know the basics of law.
Connecting Governed, Governing and Governance (CG3), an organization led by Dr K P Kylasanatha Pillay, senior advocate, Supreme Court, who is an authority on Panchayati Raj laws, has already held seven workshops for elected members of panchayath bodies and the result has been impressive.
“These workshops have helped in creating an awareness among the local body members that they are the most effective and powerful entities in local governance. They are fully aware of the power wielded by them,” said S M Vijayanand, former chief secretary of Kerala who has held the portfolio of secretary to local body department for a record period of ten years.
Acquisition of land for laying panchayath roads, digging of public wells, provision of drinking water to villages, functioning of primary health centres in each panchayaths, river water management and resolving of any shortcomings faced by their respective wards have become an easy proposition to these members because of the efforts put up by resource persons of CG3, said Dr Pillay.
The seventh edition of the workshop organised by CG3 and attended by members representing panchayath wards from four districts in the State was a revelation. “The local body members in Kerala are no more just the silent spectators who used to suffer the callousness of bureaucrats. They are an empowered lot capable of questioning bureaucrats and politicians for any kind of delays in implementing the development works,” said Dr Pillay.
Vijayanand said that panchayaths in Kerala do not make any complaints about allocation of funds by the Government. “This is because of decentralisation of power which in turn resulted in equitable development,” he pointed out. The queries put forward by participating panchayath members about the legal hurdles faced by them in land acquisition itself is proof of their awareness level.
CG3 has chalked out a plan to provide free legal aid to all panchayath members in issues concerning development and overcoming bottlenecks. “There are no issues in these village governments which are not insurmountable. Once they approach us, we will help them to sort out any issues,” said Jayasree, a lawyer working with the organization.
C T Mohan , former Panchayath secretary said that politicians used to hold the members to ransom. “The ignorance of the members about their rights has led to that situation. Election to local bodies have reached a stage that is above party politics,” said Mohan.
CG3 initiative is worth replicating in all States in India, according to Babu George and Jayasree , livewires of the institution. “Connecting the governed with the government and governance. We show the correct path to those who have lost their way in the wilderness of busy life. Access to justice to the deprived and disconnected citizens by connecting them to the benefits of governance is the avowed motto of CG3. This is a 24X7 mission,” said Dr Pillay.