Date:29/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/29/stories/2008032955390800.htm

Tamil Nadu - Tuticorin

Civic body chiefs make use of a rare opportunity

Staff Reporter

— Photo: N. Rajesh

Novel initiative: Village panchayat presidents participating in a video-conferencing programme in Tuticorin on Friday.

Tuticorin: It was indeed a different experience of sorts for village panchayat presidents in the district, as they were briefed of their roles in the implementation of Continuing Education Programme (CEP) via satellite for the first time here on Friday.

The video conferencing arranged by the Department of School Education provided a platform to the presidents of all 408 village panchayats an opportunity to clarify doubts pertaining to the scheme through interaction with experts in Chennai.

The elected representatives, divided into batches, were stationed at the 12 Block Resource Centres situated in as many number of blocks in the district during the session.

R. Rajan, Director of State Resource Centre, Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, and M. Lakshmi, Director, Directorate of Non-Formal and Adult Education, Government of Tamil Nadu, explained to the panchayat presidents how they should motivate the illiterate aged between 15 and 35 years in their respective areas to enrol themselves in the programme. Answering the queries, the resource persons elaborated the guidelines to be followed for effective co-ordination of village level committees formed under the heads of panchayat presidents to carry out education-related projects.