Hyderabad, Jan 17 (PTI) Hyderabad-based National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) on Monday said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), New Delhi, to promote good governance and strengthen local institutions with effective implementation of government programmes. The main purpose of having this agreement is to focus on different collaborative activities by drawing upon the strengths of these two national institutions for bringing better good governance mechanisms into practice across all programmes and schemes, NIRDPR said in a release. Both the institutions agreed to exchange knowledge and take up capacity building of functionaries at all levels of government, including Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs), it said. The release said the MoU will help not only in application of good governance principles in true spirit but will also ensure their effective implementation in terms of transparency and accountability in utilisation of public funds in intended manner for delivering services to benefit rural communities. Many key mutual areas of interest were identified as actionable points, including benchmarking of good governance index at the local body level, leveraging e-governance at panchayat level, documenting good governance models at panchayat level, simplification of forms among others. The MoU signing ceremony was held online between G Narendra Kumar, Director General (NIRDPR) and V Srinivas, Director General (NCGG) with team of officials, the release added. PTI VVK VVK HDA HDA