Tue Mar 11 15:07:21 UTC 2025: ## Government Plans Gradual Disengagement from NIRDPR
**Hyderabad, March 11, 2025** – The Indian government is proposing a phased withdrawal of financial and administrative support for the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR), aiming to transform it into a self-sustaining institution. This was revealed in response to a Lok Sabha question by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi.
Minister of State for Rural Development, Kamlesh Paswan, clarified that privatization is not the goal. Instead, the plan is to evolve NIRDPR into a leading center of excellence or a deemed university focused on training and research. A study by the Administrative Staff College of India indicates the NIRDPR currently employs 221 individuals and supports 331 pensioners.
Owaisi also raised concerns regarding significant vacancies within the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Minister of Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, responded that of the ASI’s sanctioned strength of 8,755 across groups A, B, and C, 3,203 positions are vacant, with the majority (2,888) in Group C. The average vacancy duration is approximately two years. The ASI’s Hyderabad Circle manages several significant historical sites, including the Ramappa Temple, Charminar, and Golconda Fort.
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