THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The quality of the training conducted by the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) to improve the quality of local bodies and the functioning of people's representatives is declining sharply. The reason is that people who have no connection with local government have been appointed as resource persons.
The institution, which won a national award for skill development of panchayats, has reached a state of shambles. Resource persons are appointed without following any criteria and only considering political influence. Even those who have retired from laboratories are teaching local self-governance. Those who only read from PowerPoint presentations and cannot answer the doubts of the participants in the class have also become trainers.
25 percent of the people's representatives who come to Thrissur for training and 60 percent of those who attend at Attappady do not attend fully. They prefer to go to tourist destinations after registering their attendance.
In addition to the main campus in Thrissur, KILA's training is also provided at regional campuses in Kottarakkara, Mannuthy, Taliparamba and Attappady.
There is a strong demand to ensure the quality of the training by appointing resource persons who are knowledgeable in local governance and decentralized planning and making full attendance mandatory to obtain a certificate.
Influence alone is enough!
In the past, trainers were selected based on excellence. Discussions were organized by involving people with subject knowledge and work experience. Then they had to take classes on the relevant subject. The teaching committee at KILA used to select resource persons based on their merit. Now a general class will be organized. All that is required is to participate in it. Those who are favourites will be appointed.
Rs. 1150 per class