Despite the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution of India and subsequent enactments in Uttar Pradesh, there is a general lack of awareness among the masses regarding potential of the panchayats in rural development. As a result, the panchayats continue to be moribund.

Shashwat is trying to strengthen the panchayats and empower the people constituting the panchayats, including the common villagers, to turn panchayats into vibrant entities for transforming rural life. The interventions include:

Awareness Generation

The main tool of awareness generation is Panchayat Information Centre (PIC). PICs have been set up in several gram panchayats. eading material related to panchayati raj, health, education, agriculture, information related to developmental schemes, posters and pamphlets related to the forthcoming election, etc., have been made available at these PICs. Apart from PICs, media like video shows, street plays and wall writings are used for awareness generation. Interaction with people is done through meetings on different aspects of the functioning of panchayats.

Capacity Building

Training of panchayat representatives are regularly organised at different levels like gram panchayat, nyaya panchayat and kshettra panchayat levels. These training cover different provisions under the relevant panchayati raj laws.

Apart from panchayat representatives, training are also organised for community based organisations (CBOs) and citizen leaders.

Micro Planning

While participating in gram sabha meetings it has been found that the residents of the gram panchayats do not have any understanding as to which work be given priority for the development of the village for overall development of the village. Keeping this in mind, microplanning has been carried out in two gram panchayats to make the villagers aware of the problems of their villages and to develop their understanding regarding planning.

Interaction with Media

Following the organisation's interventions, some gram panchayats have done praiseworthy work and pradhans and active members, including women members, have taken initiatives to give new direction to the panchayats. Close interaction with media is maintained to reach these commendable works to the government and media. Interaction with media has helped in spreading the organisation’s to a wider audience.