Capacity building of the rural development functionaries of all hues (Panchayat, Govt and Non Govt ) is an integral part of the rural development process. It is an imperative to equip the officials and representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions’ (PRIs), NGOs etc. with appropriate knowledge, skill and attitude. They should be kept abreast of the latest changes in Govt. policies, strategies and programmes.
Government Officials, representatives of Panchayats, NGOs, SHGs, working in the fields of Rural governance and Rural Development particularly those connected with implementation of Poverty Alleviation programme are required to be reoriented towards the changing needs of the situation. In order to give the best of their service they are required to be thoroughly informed of the latest developments in the fields of rural governance and rural development.
The State Institute of Panchayats and Rural Development (SIPRD) at Kalyani, Nadia plays all the important role to build capacity of all rural functionaries-PRI , Govt and Non Govt and keep them up to date with latest developments.
SIPRD was set up in 1961 at Kalyani as “Orientation and Study Centre” under aegis of Government of India in the era of Community Development. It is located 60 km. North of Kolkata, the capital of the state of West Bengal. The Institute was then imparting training to the Block Development Officers, Joint Block Development Officers and other field level functionaries involved in community development programme.Along with officials of the State, trainees from outside ( within the eastern region of the country) also took part.
On 1st April, 1967 the institute was handed over to the State Government as a part of national strategy for strengthening training infrastructures of the state.
In 1988, the Government of West Bengal in the Department of Rural Development restructured the institute into State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD) for catering to the needs of training in diversified areas of Rural Development.
Meanwhile, State Institute of Panchayats (SIP), a parallel organization for imparting training to the three-tier-panchayat functionaries was also established at Kalyani about 1 km away from SIRD in the year 1991.
Consequent upon the merger of the erstwhile two Departments – Panchayats and Rural Development into a single department christened as “Department of Panchayats and Rural Development”. the two Institutes merged together to form a single Unit in 1996. Taking both the earlier names into account, it was renamed as “State Institute of Panchayats and Rural Development” (SIPRD), West Bengal. The Institute started functioning with the new name on and from 15.04.1996.
In 1997, a society (Society for Training & Research on Panchayats and Rural Development – STARPARD) was also formed to guide the institute in matters relating to Training and Research. This paved the way for direct financial participation of outside Funding Agencies, such as World Bank in some of the Training and Research programmes of the Institute, as well as conducting of sponsored programmes.
This Institute published various books, reports and reading materials for the trainees engaged in rural development and Panchayats and PRI representatives.
Library
The SIPRD has two libraries. One is in its main campus at ‘Gandhi Bhavan’ and another is at ‘Benoy Bhavan’. The library at Gandhi Bhawan has been extended to five floors to augment the capacity and to improves the physical infrastructures there. With the new construction, it is now housed in a spacious five storied building having a collection of more than 23000 books. The 5th. Floor of the building has now converted into another state of the art conference room with an accommodation for 30 heads. There are 50 Nos. of journals and periodicals subscribed regularly. Another library of Benoy Bhavan has collection of more than 7,888 books at present and 17 Nos. of Journals.
The library in Gandhi Bhavan has four computers with internet facilities and LAN facility with the server in computer lab of this institute. The library of Benoy Bhavan has two computers catering to Information Resource Management. Both libraries use CDIS/ISIS (WINISIS) software for computerized cataloguing and other documentation services. The library has special collections like Census Reports, NSSO Reports, West Bengal Legislative Assembly Proceedings, various reports on Panchayats & Rural Development and more than 1500 documents collected from different National/International organizations’ websites. The library has got a huge collection of books in Social Sciences.
The libraries provide facilities like (a) Browsing computerized catalogue, (b) Reference Services, (c) Referral Services, (d) Current Awareness Service, (e) Bibliography service, (f) Documentation, (g) Browsing information through INTERNET, (h) Reading rooms, and (i) Reprography Services (this facility has been provided by SIPRD ECCCS Ltd.,.
The Library of this Institute is continuing to offer a ‘Hybrid Library Service, combining paper and electronic resources as appropriate in the area of Rural Development and allied subjects. The Library offers the facility to search online Journal Articles and data on various development related issues from ‘JSTOR’ and ‘Indiastat.com’ respectively.
Both the libraries are used by the Trainee Officers, Faculty Members, Staff Members and departmental Officers of this institute concerned with Rural Development works. Apart from that the Student, Research Scholars and Academics of different Universities and Institutions connected with Social Sciences, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Public Administration, Political Science, etc. also use these libraries.