Lack of training plagues MPLADS

A Parliamentary panel has also blamed the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation which has framed rules that “conveniently” avoid its responsibility to conduct training programmes for state officials.

The panel, which looked into the implementation of the MPLADS, has also said that the ministry foisted the task of training on  the state, despite the fact that it was left with the "primary concern" of making them aware of the scheme.

It has also found that the number of training programmes has reduced as state governments, which should put up the proposal for training to the Centre, are sending few of them. "The ministry should play a proactive role in the matter and should not wait for the proposals to come from the states," it says in its report tabled in Parliament recently. The panel  put the onus of the scheme's success squarely on the Centre. The panel also found that most states have conducted one training programme, while nine of them conducted none. West Bengal, among the states, stood out with three training programmes.

The ministry drew a blank on the number of officials trained as it did not have a record. It only managed to tell the panel that between 30 and 60 officials have been trained until now, despite the existence of the MPLADS since 1993.

The panel spotted several misinterpretation and violation of rules by officials in overseeing the implementation due to lack of awareness. Recommending that training programmes must be held once a year, the panel said that until a system is in place to organise  yearly programmes, the ministry must coordinate with the states to hold programmes once in two years.

It has advised the government that the ministry must prepare a training curriculum in consultation with the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy in Mussorie.