Sarpanchs should be aware of PFMS to know how to rightly spend village development funds: Minister

Union minister Kapil Patil on Sunday said urged sarpanchs village heads in the country to make themselves aware of the public finance management system PFMS so that they know the right way of spending the funds allotted by the government for village development.The Minister of State for Panchayati Raj was speaking at a function in Thane city organised by the Zilla Parishad to felicitate teachers on the occasion of Teachers Day.

Union minister Kapil Patil on Sunday said urged sarpanchs (village heads) in the country to make themselves aware of the public finance management system (PFMS) so that they know the right way of spending the funds allotted by the government for village development.

The Minister of State for Panchayati Raj was speaking at a function in Thane city organised by the Zilla Parishad to felicitate teachers on the occasion of Teachers' Day. ''Sarpanchs need to know the ways and methods of spending the government funds that come for the village. The government provides enough funds for the development of villages. Therefore, sarpanchs should be aware of the system,'' he said. He said that during his recent visit to Telangana, when he asked a sarpanch if he was aware of the PFMS, the latter replied in the negative. On the occasion, Patil praised the quality of education being imparted in Zilla Parishad schools, and said that not only he himself, but even Prime minister Narendra Modi had studied in ZP schools. He said that instead of imparting only bookish knowledge, teachers should give ''practical knowledge'' to students. ''Bookish knowledge is outdated now,'' he said. ''One should change as per the changing times, and both - teachers as well as students - should strive to do so. For this, there is a need to change the mentality,'' the minister said.

Teachers create the future of the nation. They should remove the unwanted things in students and focus on their best qualities, he said.