Ajay K Jha was invited as a resource person for the training of Apex Institutions by CECOEDECON at Shilki Dungri, Chaksu Block. The training was attended by more than 70 heads of the CBOs from 5 blocks Chaksu, Phagi, Malpura, Niwai and Shahbad, majority of them being farmers from the Kisan Seva Samiti. Ajay K Jha had a detailed session on the sustainable Development Goals and its progress in Rajasthan and what local communities can do. The presentation was divided into following parts;
(i) What is sustainable development (included traditional definition of development, as well more broad definition including dimensions of (i) sustenance, (ii) freedom from servitude and (iii)self esteem
(ii) What are SDGs (including transition and difference from the MDGs, Sustainable development goals, why SDGs and what is the progress on the SDGs)
(iii) SDGs in Rajasthan (SDG cell in the planning department, state committee, 8 committees to look into sets of the SDGs, cross departmental coordination, SDG Index Rajasthan…)
(iv) What can local communities and CBO can do to support the SDGs or SDG2 (ask questions why there is no CSO in any of the committee, get into the committees at district and panchayat level, provide alternative data, verify data, monitor progress/lack of it on the state index, look into the details of the SDG2 indicators etc.)