Date:30/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/30/stories/2008073055431400.htm

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India, Afghanistan to cooperate on local governance

Special Correspondent

A 15-point programme will be operationalised soon: Aiyar

— PHOTO: PTI

Union Minister for Panchayati Raj Mani Shankar Aiyar with Afghan Minister Asif Rahimi in New Delhi on Tuesday.

NEW DELHI: The Indo-Afghanistan Joint Working Group on Tuesday agreed on cooperation in local governance. “All activities and programmes under the memorandum of understanding between the two countries should be contextual to the needs of the governments of Afghanistan and India,” it said.

Coordinated approach

The aim is to attain a coordinated approach to the development of coherent local governance in the two countries, including their institutions concerned, the working group said in a statement after a meeting.

Union Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar said a 15-point programme of collaboration was agreed upon and it would be operationalised at the earliest.

Workshop in Afghanistan

The meeting agreed to hold a workshop in Afghanistan in September and a meeting of the Joint Forum on Local Governance to be co-chaired by the Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development of Afghanistan.

The meeting will focus on a training need analysis, framework for capacity building, designing training courses, training trainers, developing resource centres and visits by elected local representatives.

JWG meet

The Joint Working Group will meet frequently as per the dates mutually agreed upon.

The Afghan President is likely to visit India in the first week of August and discussions on local governance are expected that time.