ABOUT AMR-APARD

AMR-Andhra Pradesh Academy of Rural Development is an Apex Institute for Training and Capacity Building of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Functionaries in Andhra Pradesh and is Head of the Department by a Senior Level IAS Officer. The main objective of the Academy is to enhance knowledge base, upgrade the skills of the Panchayat Raj & Rural Development (PR&RD) Department through Training, Action Research, Monitoring and Evaluation. It also facilitates the convergence to meet the objectives of local self-governance for sustainable rural prosperity.

The Government of India - Ministry of Community Development and Co-operation Department started this Institute as “Development Officers’ Training Centre” in the year 1954. It was one of the three oldest Institutes of its kind in the Country during that time. In 1954, the first President of India Late Sri.Rajendra Prasad laid a Foundation Stone for the buildings of this Institute. In the year 1967, this Institute was transferred to the State Government of Andhra Pradesh. The name was then changed to “State Institute of Rural Development” in 1970, and later renamed in 1994 as “Andhra Pradesh Academy of Rural Development”. In 2002, this Academy has been renamed as “A. Madhava Reddy - Andhra Pradesh Academy of Rural Development (AMR-APARD)” in memory of the late Minister for Panchayat Raj & Rural Development.

The Academy is located in the sprawling campus in serene of rural surroundings of Rajendranagar, about 15 Kms. away from the Historical City of Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh in the Southern part of India It is also surrounded by several Academic, Training and Research Institutes like National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), Acharya N.G.Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU), National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM), National Institute of Agriculture and Extension Management (MANAGE), Agricultural and Extension Management (MANAGE), Agricultural Research Institute (ARI), Directorate of Rice Research (DRR), National Seed Project (NSP), National Plant Protection Training Institute (NPPTI), Institute of Co-operative Management (ICM), Andhra Pradesh Co-operative Bank (APCOB), Water and Land Management Training and Research Institute (WALAMTARI), etc. The Academy has made rapid strides in the recent years and has celebrated its Golden Jubilee Year in 2004.

The policies, programmes and activities of the Academy are decided by the Management Committee under the Chairmanship of the Principal Secretary, Panchayat Raj & Rural Development (PR&RD) Department and the Commissioner, AMR-APARD, as Member Secretary. The Planning and Training, Research Evaluation Studies and activities of Academy are steered by an Academic Committee under the Chairmanship of the Commissioner, AMR-APARD. The Commissioner is supported by an Additional Commissioner and other Officials, Centre-Heads, Faculty, Consultants, Development Professionals and Office Staff in implementation of the programmes.

• To build the capacity of Officials & Elected Representatives of Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs).
• To facilitate people centered responsive & accountable work culture for good governance.
• To collaborate and conduct trainings in various Natural Resource Management (NRM) and Livelihood activities
• To provide Capacity Building support on Employment Guarantee Scheme, Andhra Pradesh Rural Livelihood Project (APRLP), Comprehensive Land Development Programme (CLDP), Bio-diesel.
• To develop training materials handbooks and modules for various functionaries of different programmes, of Rural Development
• To extend technical and Human Resource Development (HRD) support to the Watershed Projects
• To under take evaluation of on going and completed Watershed Projects and Council for Advancement of Peoples' Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) Projects in the State.
• To take up Action Research Studies in the field of Natural Resource Management (NRM)
• Effective service delivery through Pro-Poor and protective Acts relating to Land.
• To sensitize Revenue Officers to the needs of poorest of the poor on land issues.
• To make each Revenue Functionary aware of his functions and responsibilities and make him fully conscious of what is expected of him by the poor.
• To equip every Revenue Functionary with requisite knowledge in Land Administration and duties towards Citizens and Government and their role in Welfare and Development programmes.
• To sensitize on the provisions of Right to Information Act, 2005.
• To build capacity of the functionaries of the PR & RD on Women and Child Development through Trainings, Research and Evaluation Studies in Health, Family Welfare and Tribal areas.
• To create awareness on HIV/AIDS
• To educate and create awareness on INDIRAMMA Programme
• To create awareness on Gender issues and Women Empowerment.
• Training of district and field level officers in Disaster Prone area in Preparedness, Planning, managing crisis at the site and organizing rescue, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
• Training to create awareness and prepare for counter – disaster activities.
• Training to development functionaries for planning & implementation of disaster mitigation measures, as part of development process.
• To conduct Research and act as Information Centre on National Disaster Management (NDM) in the State.
• To create Computer literacy and Computer skills for all Participants of various Programmes based on the Module finalised in consultation with the User Department.
• To create Information Technology enabled Employable Skills to the unemployed Graduates from Rural Areas in collaboration with Institute for Electronic Governance
• To facilitate Computer Hardware back-up support to all Centres.
• To provide un-interrupted full-time Intranet & Internet facility to all Systems.

The 45-Strong multi-disciplinary Faculty members belonging to Seven Centres are Government Officials, Specialists, Trainers, Researchers and Consultants with proven credentials and long years of experience in their respective areas of specialization.