NIRDPR launches awareness campaign to prevent COVID-19 spread

The National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) on Monday launched awareness initiatives to help Gram Panchayats across India to monitor migrants returning from the cities due to the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

"The modules and courses, which will be available free of cost on NIRDPR's newly-launched learning management portal 'Gram Swaraj' for the benefit of PRI representatives include awareness on the coronavirus, the role of gram panchayats in the coronavirus prevention and management," a release quoted WR Reddy, Director General, NIRDPR, as saying.

This initiative is aimed at helping migrants and ensure that they are adequately screened for COVID-19 infection, and quarantined where necessary.

"The Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP) has been an important element of 'low cost' or 'no cost' development initiatives, which have transformed many panchayats into progressively developed islands across the country," added Reddy.

Another major objective of this initiative is to support the Gram Panchayats and other Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) functionaries to take care of the citizens in their communities by providing IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) material for awareness campaigns against COVID-19.

"The present crisis of the Covid-19 can be tackled by such measures using sheer imagination and passionate leadership of the Gram Panchayats," said Reddy.

Some of these measures suggested by NIRDPR include identifying 5 to 6 courageous and dedicated volunteers from among the rural youths, clubs, SHGs, NGOs, voluntary organisations to work in every ward under the leadership of the ward member or any other person to be nominated by the gram panchayat in the absence of the Ward member for any reason.