Good Governance

The Beacon Gram Panchayat training has helped me in various ways to gain confidence and in-depth knowledge about a Panchayat and its functions. With the training, everyone including ward members and Panchayat volunteers developed their understanding regarding the work and functioning of the Panchayat and worked with the people of the villages with this new understanding. With this, harmony has increased a lot in the village. Internal conflicts too are on the decline and for whatever internal conflicts do occur, we, in the Panchayat are better equipped to handle it. Only the cases which are beyond our ability to resolve, reach the police or the court.

-Sunila Devi, Mukhiya (Leader of Panchayat), Bhandro Panchayat, Jharkhand

The Challenge

Lack of information: Current leaders have very little knowledge about schemes – impairing on-ground progress and development.

Ineffective implementation: There is a lack of evidence-based policy tools for lawmakers and government officials as well as a lack of coherent methods of data collection, comprehensive analytics and a lack of reporting and proof of policy implementation.

Strategy

The project works on improving good governance, empowering the community economically, and improving civic amenities.

Good governance in rural and urban areas

Enabling elected representatives to upgrade their knowledge and skills to better perform their responsibilities.
Sensitizing community stakeholders to accept and promote the Panchayati Raj as an essential level of local government and for inclusive and participatory development.
Improving the functioning of Gram Sabha (the primary body of Panchayati Raj system) as an important institution of local decision making.
To strengthen rural local self-governance at the Gram Panchayat level through increased community participation and empowerment of Gram Panchayat elected representatives as well as other functionaries in the Gram Panchayat.
To sensitize the community towards government schemes and policies to get maximum output.
To motivate village youth to take responsibility and act as change agents for a vibrant and self-sustained village.
Create responsible and inclusive leadership in the cities

Create frameworks, tools and methodologies: These are aimed towards helping policymakers devise solutions for challenges across horizontal and vertical policy implementation.

Training in effective and efficient digital tools: Facilitating, training and providing support for the current political and sarpanch leaders on effective and efficient digital tools and skills for efficient administration.

Mass education of below poverty line workers: We conduct mass mobilization of below poverty line workers around government programs that provide employment and engage them in building critical hard assets for the villages around rainwater harvesting and agriculture.

Last Mile Delivery: We provide last-mile delivery of various government schemes available through common service centers.

Partnering with Sri Sri University: Through the department of good governance and public policy, we offer training and in-depth field visits to create visionary thinkers and ethical leaders.

Engaging student interns: We help engage student-interns to work with leaders in villages and provide them with the necessary communication and technology skills to effectively utilize the schemes. This ensures that the schemes of education, involving them in policy-making and scaling make a material difference to the intended beneficiaries.

Economic empowerment

To promote livelihoods through entrepreneurship and skill education.
To empower women socio-economically and politically
To facilitate and create capacity strengthening opportunities for substantial economic and livelihood gains of poor communities and vulnerable households.

GUIDESTAR