A batch of 43 Officer Trainees joined Foundation Course from 27-05-2019 to 20-07-2019. In this large batch (largest in recent history), there were 10 HAS Probationers,  3 HPS Probationers, 11 Tehsildar  Probationers, 3 District Controllers (FCS&CA) Probationers, 3 BDO Probationers, 12 ETO Probationers and 1 Assistant Registrar (Co-op Societies). Eight week long Foundation Course started on 27th May 2019 and ending on 20th July 2019.

Keeping in view the broad curriculum of the Training Course, weekly training schedules were prepared as per the specific modules based on SMART training goals. The first modules covered included general orientation into government services with challenges in Civil Services/District Administration, how to become change maker, how to stay motivated with positive thinking in government services, citizens’ perspective to good governance in H.P. and e-governance issues. The subsequent modules covered basic office procedures including noting and drafting, basic financial rules and the roles and responsibilities of DDOs; focus on working and the main procedures in revenue, settlement, Vigilance, Elections etc.; ICT usage in office environment including HP Government Online services, Mobile Apps and cloud computing; working of main departments namely, Police, Excise, Cooperatives, Revenue, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs; Disaster/Event/Crowd Management highlighting  the real stories of Chanderkhani rescue and Bilaspur tunnel rescue operations;  Essential Soft skills that influence the organizational behaviour and help in efficient organizational management.

In addition to all broad thematic areas, many contemporary issues like RTI, Drug menace, Anti-Corruption measures, significance of  R&P Rules, Media Management, Public Service Guarantee Act, Gender Issues, FCA & FRA, Forensics, Legal Literacy, and Manners and Etiquetes were included in training sessions.

One day field visit was organized to Forensic Lab Junga to learn the fundamentals of forensics in lab. Tournaments of TT and badminton were also organized during the course.

A group activity in the form of Play was organized on 15th June, 2019 the day when Farewell party was given to IAS Probationers. Not only 43 Officer-Trainees of this course participated in the plays but IAS Probationers also participated in the event.

A Forest walk to Shimla Catchment Area was organized on 22nd June to learn the Britishers’ water harvesting system in the rich catchment area.

A study-cum-exposure tour to Leh was also organized during this training. For internal validation of the course a test was also conducted online as a part of the selection process to choose best performing trainee-officers of the batch.

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQbqKlzEQfU&t=806s

Sh. C.P. Verma, Director, HIPA release the fresh issue of the HIPA Journal (Administrative Development” during the valedictory session of HAS Foundation Course 2019. Director, HIPA appreciated contributions made in the journal especially by the young HAS officers who contributed one article from their HAS training assignment as an article for the journal. Director, HIPA acknowledged the efforts of Managing Editor for inclusion of the journal into the UGC-CARE List. He also inspired HAS Probationers to attempt their HAS training assignment in a manner to serve as an article for the journal in future.  

A time-bound and mission mode campaign through newly launched ambitious programme Jal Shakti Abhiyan has been started from 1st July 2019. This programme has a focus on tackling the bad situation of ground water in water-stressed parts of the country. The initiative will go very apt dealing with the critical and over-exploited blocks of the Himachal Pradesh. The abhiyan is targeted to cover all states facing south-west monsoon through campaign mode from 1st July 2019 to 15th September, 2019 and states facing north-east monsoon from 1st October, 2019 to 30th November, 2019. Major intervention will be made through water conservation & rain-water harvesting, renovation of traditional water bodies, watershed development, recharging groundwater sources and intensive afforestation measures.

The NITI Aayog has come up with a report named “Locallising SDGs-early lessons from 2019” in July, 2019.

The report has mapped the SDGs and targets with ministries, thereby charting responsibilities of initiatives and monitoring progress clearly. Stakeholder consultations have been conducted, bringing together the governments of states and Union Territories (UTs), civil society Organizations, and business for brainstorming on the best possible ways to move forward.

It also serves as an advocacy tool to create awareness among the government machinery, private sector, and the public on SDGs. In line with the principle of cooperative federalism and larger devolution of funds to the states, the states are the primary stakeholders in ensuring the success of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in India.

Aligning Local Plan with SDGs, Capacity Development through HIPA, Strategies for leaving no one behind and SDG monitoring have been highlighted in case of Himachal Pradesh in the report.

Himachal Pradesh has been placed in the category of Front-Runners in the country in achieving SDGs.

The Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India has implemented number of Schemes/Programmes in the benefit of rural people. To monitor these schemes/programmes, the MoRD has launched National Level Monitoring in the year 2003-04. To discuss the State level reports of States, covered by the NLMs under regular monitoring of RD programmes during Phase-I (Sept. 2018 to Dec. 2018), the HP Institute of Public Administration, HIPA has organized a “Regional Integrative Workshop on National Level Monitors (NLMs)” i.e. 29-07-2019 to 30-07-2019 in collaboration with Ministry of Rural Development, GoI. The workshop was chaired by Dr. Seema Gaur, IES, Chief Economic Advisor from Ministry of Rural Development, GoI and Sh. S.S. Modi, Dy. Secretary, MoRD, GoI. The workshop was attended by state officials of 6 states viz. Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab & Uttrakhand and National Level Monitors.        

Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority launched a scheme to train the volunteers at panchayat level in various aspects of disaster risk reduction and management by creating at least 10 to 20 trained volunteers in each panchayat within three years of span.

Accordingly in the first phase of the scheme, Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administrations Fairlawn, Shimla in association with Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority organized Regional Level three days Training of Trainers  Programme  for representatives of NGOs at H.P. Irrigation & Public Health Department Communication & Capacity Development Unit, State Training Centre, Dhangsidhar, Mandi, from 10th to 12th July, 2019. This programme was attended by 33 participants representing different NGOs from District, Mandi, Kullu, Hamirpur and Bilaspur. Main objectives behind this programme was to create  a cadre of master trainers in each districts who will further provide trainings to the Volunteers at panchayat level in the State of Himachal Pradesh for effective disaster risk reduction and management. 

NIRD&PR, Hyderabad organised a regional training of trainer’s programme at Punjab-SIRD, Chandigarh on 5-6th July, 2019. The training aimed at building the capacity of different faculty members/officials on the portal developed by Ministry of Panchayati Raj, GoI. It was informed that the portal helps all the training institutions to plan, monitor and report training performance through this software. The option to use this portal is open to all the SIRDs, ATIs, Regional/District Training Institutions besides other institutions. The organisers also informed that the portal has superseded the Rural Diksha Portal and all the SIRDs will have to report their performance through this portal. Dr. Rajeev Bansal, Dy. Director (Research) and Sh. Randhir Singh, Computer Operator attended the programme on behalf of SIRD, Himachal Pradesh.   

The training program was organised from 15-17th July, 2019 which was attended by 37 No. of participants from different Departments of State Government. The participants were a mix of Gazetted and Non-Gazetted Govt. Servants. The objective of this training program is to make participants well conversant with Constitutional Provisions i.e Art.309-311 of the Indian Constitution, CCS(Conduct) Rules 1964, CCS(CCA) Rules, 1965, Penalties for violation of conduct rules and effects of penalties on Pay and other benefits of Govt. Servant. Case Studies were also discussed in order to give participants the insight into decision making process in respect of imposition of penalty.

A three day training course on Excellence in Public Service Delivery System under “Sevottam” programme  was organised in the Institute w.e.f. 08.07.2019 to 10.07.2019.  This training course was attended by  15 participants who were Naib Tehsildar, SEBPO, Incharge Himfed, ACF, Agriculture Medical Officer, SMS of Agriculture, Principals, etc.  from different departments of the government.

The course comprised three schedules viz  preparation of Sevottam compliant citizen charter, Grievance Redressal Mechanism and Capability building of the organisation under Sevottam framework to achieve excellence in public service delivery system in the departments/organizations of the govt. The majority of the participants rated the course and performance of the Faculties as Excellent & Very Good.  The Resource persons who interacted with the participants in this course  were Sh. H.K. Sharma, Controller (F&A) Retd.,  Ms. Uvi Tyagi, OSD Directorate of Health, Sh. K.R. Bharti, I.A.S.(Retd.), besides Sh. K.R. Negi (Course Director)

A Five Days Regional Training Programme on “Geo-Spatial Planning on Planning & Management of PMGSY Roads” held in the Institute during 15th to 19th July 2019.

The programme was collectively organized by National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (NIRD & PR) Hyderabad and State Institute of Rural Development, H.P. with the objective to build the capacity of technical manpower which is practically implementing the PMGSY works in the field. Twenty Four (24) Jr. Engineers of H.P. Public Works Department participated in the training programme.

Ms. Jyoti Rana, HAS, Joint Director, HIPA, Sh. Satish Sharma, Joint Director (Training & Research), SIRD, Er. Archana Thakur, Superintending Engineer (PMGSY & World Bank) and Er. L.K. Pandey, Executive Engineer (PMGSY) joined for the feedback and valediction session on 19th July 2019.

Dr. Rajeev Bansal, Dy. Director (Research) delivered a live world webcast session on Role of Innovative Technologies in Rural Development for employment generation in the ICT Based Short Term Programme on "Skill Development and Technological Innovation for Employment Generation in India” on 31st  July, 2019 at NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNICAL TEACHERS' TRAINING & RESEARCH, Chandigarh.