By Sylvia
The District Chairperson Kabarole, Richard Rwabuhinga, has asked the Sub County and Town Council officials to prepare the people for the Parish Development Model (PDM) Program.
Rwabuhinga, says the sub-county accountants and town council treasurers have to prepare the people and train them in Financial Literacy so that they are ready to receive and manage the funds.
The call, follows President Museveni’s call on the Launch of the program, where he appealed to all leaders to join efforts and sensitize people on how and who to do what because they we do not want their people to do what will not help them.
Speaking to the leaders of Kasenda Town Council, Kabarole district on Monday, Rwabuhinga noted that many government programs are failing because people think it is an appreciation from the president.
He says, the Parish Development Model is a government program intended to benefit citizens, fight poverty and increase household income but it’s disappointing some people get the money and mismanage it.
President Museveni addressing important issues on the launch of PDM
Rwabuhinga, thus asks the sub county and town council officials to first mobilize the people and train them financial literacy so that they are ready to receive the funds, on which enterprises and for what purpose
What is PDM ?
Parish Development Model is an extension of the-whole-of government approach to development as envisaged under the National Development Plan3 , with the parish as the lowest administrative and operational hub for delivering services closer to the people and hence fostering economic development.
The PDM is a multi-sectoral strategy whose aim is to create socioeconomic transformation targeting the 39% households in subsistence economy, to move them into the money economy using the Parish as the epicenter for development.
Who is eligible for this fund?
According to the ministry of Local government implementation guidelines for PDM,These funds can be mainly acquired via Community Organization and Business development services
In community based organizations,The communities shall be organized into groups by the PDCs, Farmers Organizations with support of sub county based extension workers.
The starting points of group organization will be at the Village/Cell and the Parish/Ward levels and moving upwards. Where there are existing groups, they will be supported and their capacities strengthened.
In the absence of any parish wide groups, communities will be encouraged and supported to form new groups. These groups shall take the form of cooperatives or other formal organizational structures (such as Associations, Community Based Organizations etc.)
These, will enable households at the Parish level to benefit from economies of scale (in savings, production, marketing and extension services), quality inputs/output, reliable production advice, improved information (on) and connectivity to commodity as well as minimize post-harvest losses on top of access to finances
Mindset change as a strategy for PDM success:
According to President Museveni, The right mindset is a prerequisite for stakeholders to take practical steps that transform the way of working. This pillar focuses on adoption of the right way of thinking and opinions of public sector officials at all levels private sector players and communities.
The purpose is to achieve realistic planning, implementation, resource utilization and management as well as reporting and accountability processes.
The right mindset, integrated community mobilization and paying attention to crosscutting issues are key for a successful achievement of the results sought by PDM implementation. This Pillar is therefore intended to implement the Community Mobilization and Mindset Change as well as the Natural Resources Management Land and Water Management programs under the NDP III.
