CRUSADE & DACT (a network agency based at Theni, South Tamil Nadu) had a consultation meeting at Trichy with representative Panchayat presidents from 15 districts and NGOs, especially those who participated in KILA training. In the meeting, it was decided to form an Association of village level Panchayat presidents in Tamil Nadu for advocacy and lobbying and to get representation from each district in the committee of the Association. Panchayat presidents who are supportive to the initiative and subscribe to the objective of the Association will be enrolled as members. In order to spread the message, Regional level meetings are held encompassing three to five districts. All the 30 districts were merged into 8 regions. DACT had conducted capacity building training in 13 districts and CRUSADE has done the training in 16 districts.
CRUSADE had the first regional meeting in Chennai on 26th July 2008 for Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Vellore districts. In all around 50 presidents from the three districts attended the one day orientation. It emerged in the meeting that eventually the Association should have representation from all the 385 blocks in Tamil Nadu, but it may start with available representation. The next regional meeting was held at Salem on 9th August ( for Krishnagiri , salem, Dharmapuri and Namakkal districts) and another at Coimbatore on 10th August ( for Coimbatore , Erode and Nilgiris districts) It was decided to conduct district level meeting in Namakkal and Salem district as there was less representation from these two in the regional meet. NGOs in the region are taking lead role in organizing the meeting. The third regional meeting was held at Pondichery for Villupuram, Thirvannamalai and Cuddalore districts. Around 60 presidents from the three districts took part. There will be one more - at Thiruvarur in Sep. DACT has so far organized two regional meetings at Madurai and at Tiruchi. One more will be held at Tirunelveli. Where ever the response is poor, district level meetings were also held by DACT. We plan to complete the process by September and hold a meeting in October with representation drawn from most districts to take this work forward. All are keen to have a big event early 2009…
CRUSADE has been able to appoint a suitable person for the networks programme who has been deputed to undergo 7 days Training of Trainers in PRI in Gandhigram, Dindigul in August 2008.
Training of SHG members and federation leaders in PRI is an ongoing programme done by CCs at group / panchayat level. CRUSADE also encourages NGOs in districts to organise training other elected representatives at block level. For advocacy, it seems effective working with presidents alone.