BSS, Rajshahi :All the existing local government services being delivered towards the grassroots people’s need to be more coordinated, accelerated and need-oriented for empowerment coupled with improving living and livelihood condition of the rural masses, speakers at a participatory discussion here mentioned on Monday .They viewed various government and non-government organizations are now implementing different projects for public welfare. So, there is no alternative to contribute to the empowerment of local citizens through more democratic, transparent, inclusive and effective local government system.Time has come to ensure good governance in the local government institutions (LGIs) to make those fully functional, democratic and transparent entities for welfare of the grassroots people.The observations came at a coordination meeting among the partners of development organizations working for empowerment of the LGIs with financial support from Swiss Development and Cooperation (SDC) at Hotel Mukta International in Rajshahi city.Local Governance Programme- Sharique of Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation- Bangladesh organized the event where all the SDC partner organizations shared their ongoing activities devising ways and means on how to attain desired yield in this regard.Deputy Director of Local Government Division Dr Dewan Shahriar Firoj and Divisional Facilitator of Upazila Governance Project Rafiqul Islam addressed the discussion as chief and special guests respectively with Mustafizur Rahman Khan, Member of Sharique Advisory Committee, in the chair.Editor of Daily Sonar Desh Akbarul Hassan Millat, Programme Officer of Prip Trust Azizur Rahman, Abul Basher from DASCOH, Unit Coordinator of BLAST Advocate Abdus Samad, Regional Coordinator-in-Charge of Sharique Shalma Khatun and Programme Officers Jashim Uddin, Md Kamruzzaman and Selina Akter shared their views on the occasion.Various other matters like contribute to the government initiatives and further collaborations among the GO and NGOs interventions towards uplifting the local people were discussed elaborately.Apart from this, the meeting discussed some key issues including enhancing capacity for women leadership roles in local government institutions both Union Parishad and Upazila Parishad structures, mobilize citizens groups to influence their service delivery, mainstreaming pro-poor and pro-women local governance practices and collaboration and interaction.The discussants said training on tax assessment and collection, financial management and record keeping, participatory planning and budgeting, roles and responsibilities of UPs and UZPs and standing committees and their strategic planning should be given priority.
