GVMC Commissioner calls for stronger Panchayati Raj capacity

Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Commissioner Ketan Garg said Panchayati Raj institutions remain vital in delivering essential services to nearly 70 percent of the country’s population.

He was speaking at the valedictory session of the second batch of the Leadership and Management Development Training Programme for officers of the Department of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development on Thursday. The training is being conducted under the supervision of the Andhra Pradesh State Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj at the Indian Institute of Management, Visakhapatnam.

Mr. Garg said Panchayati Raj bodies form an important tier of governance and reach a majority of citizens. He praised IIM Visakhapatnam faculty members and programme directors Vijaya Marisetty and Kolukuluri Kalyan for developing a curriculum focused on improving institutional performance.

He noted that the modules covered communication, team management, ethics, values and time management. Congratulating the officers who completed the programme, he urged them to uphold commitment and adopt a service-focused approach in their work.

Professors Marisetty and Kalyan told the Commissioner that ten batches will be trained by March 2026, covering about 500 gazetted officers. They thanked him for attending the session as chief guest and presented a memento.