Govt to hold workshops on making panchayats women-friendly
New Delhi (PTI): The government is set to hold workshops for women representatives from all three tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), focused on developing at least one model women-friendly gram panchayat in each district, an official said.
Ahead of International Women's Day on March 8, over 1,200 women panchayat leaders will attend the workshops on women-led local governance.
The Panchayati Raj Ministry official said the workshops will be held on March 4-5. They are aimed at making PRIs more women-centric and strengthening grassroots democracy.
The workshops will focus on the crucial role of women elected representatives (WERs) in rural local governance and discuss the strategic roadmap of the Panchayati Raj Ministry to enhance their leadership and ensure their active participation in decision-making.
Outstanding women leaders in panchayats will be felicitated at the workshops.
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has urged states and Union territories to include women officers in the delegation of panchayat representatives attending the National Workshop and Convention of Panchayat Women Representatives, wherever possible.
A National Convention of Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats will be held on March 5, which will focus on developing at least one model gram panchayat in each district that is women and girl-friendly.
The official added that two rounds of training for master trainers have already been completed. This initiative is being led by Panchayati Raj Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj.
Panchayati Raj Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan', Minister of State Raj S P Singh Baghel, MoS for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse will be among those who will attend the events.
A primer on gender laws and the role of panchayat and a training module on WERs would also be released.
The conventions will also have panel discussions on related topics.
On March 8, a nationwide 'Mahila Gram Sabha' will be organised across all panchayats to celebrate International Women's Day. Special training programmes will also be conducted in selected panchayats.
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Nightclub fire: Goa court remands Luthra brothers in police custody for five days
Panaji (PTI): A court in North Goa on Wednesday remanded Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub, in police custody for five days.
The brothers, brought to Goa from Delhi after being deported from Thailand in connection with the December 6 blaze that killed 25, were produced in the court after undergoing health check-ups twice at the District Hospital in North Goa.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Mapusa Puja Sardesai remanded the two brothers in police custody for five days.
Advocate Vishnu Joshi, representing Bhavana Joshi who lost four family members in the tragedy, said that the accused were asking for “special consideration” claiming poor health.
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“We said they should not be given any extra relaxation,” he said, adding that the court has taken cognisance of the fact that this is about the death of “25 people in the form of mass genocide”.
“But since they kept pressing for medical check-up, the court ordered reexamination of their health. It is clear in the medical examination that they don’t require any consideration. The accused sought special considerations in the lock-up like a good mattress, which the court refused,” said Joshi.
A team of the Goa Police, along with the Luthra brothers, arrived at the Manohar International Airport, Mopa, in North Goa at 10.45 am.
The duo was initially taken to a Primary Health Centre at Siolim for medical examination. They were then taken to the District Hospital at Mapusa.
After their health assessment, the two were brought to the court.
The court directed that the accused be sent for fresh medical examination. Accordingly, the two were again taken to the District Hospital.
Later, they were produced before Judge Sardesai, who ordered the five-day police custody of the accused.
After the fire tragedy at Arpora village, the Anjuna police had registered a case against the Luthra brothers on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The brothers were arrested in Delhi on Tuesday after being deported from Thailand. A court there allowed the Goa Police their two-day transit remand.
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The duo had fled to Phuket in Thailand early on December 7, hours after the fire at their nightclub, prompting the authorities to issue an Interpol Blue Corner Notice and cancel their passports.
They were detained by Thai authorities at Phuket on December 11 following a request from the Indian government, which later coordinated with officials in Thailand to deport them under legal treaties between the two nations.
Five managers and staff members have already been arrested by the Goa Police in connection with the fire.
