Department of Public Administration, Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), Regional Centre, Chandigarh in collaboration with the Centre for Studies of Law and Governance (CSLG), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi successfully hosted the National Conference on “Local Governance in India@75-Issues, Challenges and Contemporary Developments from 25-26 March, 2023 at Convention Center of JNU, New Delhi.
The Conference Paper Review Committee was constrained by time to accept only 150 out of more than 500 research papers received. The conference was applauded for the 20 concurrent sessions, two panel discussions besides the Inaugural and Valedictory sessions.
The Conference owes its success to the able guidance of Prof. Sibnath Deb, Director, RGNIYD and Prof. Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit, Vice-Chancellor, JNU, Delhi. The them and sub-themes were planned by Prof. Prakash Chand Kandpal (Chairperson, Centre for the Study of Law and Governance) and Prof. Inderjeet Singh Sodhi, Department of Public Administration, RGNIYD, Chandigarh.
Dignitaries Hon’ble Guest of Honours Shri S.N. Tripathi, IAS, Director General, Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), Delhi, Dr. Vivek Trivedi, Social Development Officer, Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, Dr. Sudhir Krishna (IAS Retd.), Former Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, GoI inaugurated the Conference on 25th March, 2023.
The valedictory address was attended by Prof. Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit (Chief Guest), Vice-Chancellor, JNU (Delhi), Prof. Sibnath Deb, Director of RGNIYD (Guest of Honour), Prof. Kuldeep Mathur, founder chairperson of CSLG, Prof. Ajmer Singh Malik, Vice Chancellor of Ch. Devi Lal University, Sirsa, Haryana, and Prof. Prabhat Kumar Datta, former Centenary Professor of Public Administration at Culcutta University. In her address, Prof. Dhulipudi Pandit highlighted the grassroots problems of Swaraj and Decentralization and Dr. Ambedkar’s concern of village level government. Prof. Sibnath Deb highlighted participation of youth in the local governance and how they can contribute for the development of local bodies. Prof. Ajmer Singh Malik touched upon the emerging issues and prospects of local government. Prof. P C Kandpal, chairperson offered an apt conclusion to the confxerence with specific summing up of the theme of the Conference and the acknowledgment of the efforts of the whole CSLG team.
