With 10% unlettered, Gram Panchayat members take write way

Hubballi: A government initiative to make unlettered gram panchayat (GP) members "functionally literate" has generated enthusiasm and is showing results, helping address a key problem that has been hobbling governance at the grassroots.

The initiative was launched after a survey conducted by the Rural Development & Panchayat Raj (RDPR) department in 2022 found that of the 94,000 GP members elected to 6,028 GPs in the state in 2021, 9,550 (10%) could not read or write.

This, according to sources in the RDPR department, has been causing several difficulties.

For example, unlettered GP members are dependent on others to understand the functioning of GPs and notifications issued by the department and to manage their duties. There have been incidents where “non-elected representatives and junior-level officials” clear the files without the knowledge of the president and the vice president.

Koppal (695) has the highest number of non-literate GP members followed by Belagavi (681), Yadgir (670), Raichur (650) and Kalaburagi (640), while Kodagu has the least (28).

To address the problem, the RDPR department leaned on the Abdul Nazeer Sab State Institute for Rural Development (ANSSIRD), Mysuru, and asked for an action plan to ensure that non-literate GP members become “functionally literate”.

In the first phase, which started in 2022, ANSSIRD enrolled 4,078 members in 10 districts under the ‘Sakshara Sanmana’ programme to provide them 100 hours of “teaching” over 50 days. The members were taught basic Kannada reading and writing along with identifying numbers.

The department invited applications from locals who had experience in teaching to conduct classes from the study kit prepared by the ANSSIRD. Each trainer was provided Rs 3,000 as honorarium to teach these GP members.

“Nearly 3,011 GP members have voluntarily completed the course over the last year,” said Hemambara, a faculty at ANSSIRD, adding they are not only able to read the documents and daily memos sent by the department but also able to sign the documents.

The majority of the beneficiaries are women and senior citizens.

ANSSIRD Director K Lakshmi Priya said the initiative is having a positive effect on GP members and localities they are living in. “As per the scheme, the training programme was only for three months. However, many mentors, based on a request from GP members, have continued training elected representatives,” she said.

Sheela Bai, a mentor at Kinnisultan village in Aland taluk of Kalaburagi district, said Nagamma Mulgi (63), a member of Kinnisultan Gram Panchayat, was very enthusiastic to learn. “Along with her, she brought four other senior citizens who were interested in learning. While the course ended in 45 days, we are continuing the learning process,” she said.

Nagamma said she could not get a formal education earlier as there was no school in her village. “My son used to read out notices and other documents for me. I used to give my thumb impression wherever he asked me to. Due to my inability to read, I used to feel insecure and dependent on others. Not anymore,” she said.

Dr Prakash Bhat, honorary professor and executive member at Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University, Gadag, said the ability to read and write will instil confidence among GP representatives.

“Officials will not be able to cheat the GP members if they understand the content of government documents,” he said.