Panchayat Day celebrations

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state-level Panchayat Day celebrations would be held on April 23 and 24 at RDR Hall, Edapazhanji.The function would also witness the launch of the scheme for paying property tax through post offices, release of the docu-feature prepared by IT@School on panchayats in the state, inauguration of web service for accounting in local bodies, release of Panchayat Raj magazine, release of signature song of gramayatra and logo release of Suchitwa Gramam-Haritha Gramam.Chief Minister Oommen Chandy would inaugurate the programme at 9.30 a m on April 24. Ministers M K Muneer, P K Kunhalikutty, K M Mani, K C Joseph, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and Manjalamkuzhi Ali, Leader of Opposition V S Achutanandan, Mayor K Chandrika, Shashi Tharoor MP, T M Thomas Isaac MLA, District panchayat president Ramani P Nair, and members of associations of local bodies would attend the function.Speaker G Karthikeyan would inaugurate the valedictory function at 2.30 p m on April 24. Ministers M K Muneer and Shibu Baby John, MLAs K Muralidharan and V Sivankutty would attend the function.Swaraj Trophy for the best local body and award for the panchayat which successfully implemented Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme would be distributed at the function.A talk on ‘Challenges Faced by Local Bodies’ would be held at 10.30 a m on Monday. Ministers M K Muneer, A P Anilkumar and K B Ganesh Kumar, Deputy Leader of Opposition Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, and officials of various departments would attend.A seminar on ‘12th Five Year Plan and Local Self Governments’ would be held at 2.30 p m. Ministers M K Muneer and V S Sivakumar would attend.Planning Board vice-chairman K M Chandrasekhar would present the topic. C Ravindranath MLA would attend the seminar. Principal Secretary to Local Self Government James Varghese would be the moderator. As many as 2,500 representatives of 978 grama panchayats, 152 block panchayats, 14 district panchayats and 65 muncipalities are expected to attend the programme. Online webcasting of the entire programme would be available at www.cditlive.org or www.lsgkerala.gov.in. Exhibitions and cultural events are arranged as part of the programme.