It may sound surprising, but amid the usual rhetoric of local issues in the Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) elections scheduled for next week in Himachal Pradesh, a young and educated candidate has entered the fray in a panchayat in Mandi district with a long-term vision.
Unlike the typical focus on roads, electricity, and other immediate village issues, Ajay Kumar, a postgraduate in Biotechnology contesting for the post of Pradhan in Siddhpur panchayat, is talking about the development of the panchayat from a broader perspective. He has presented a roadmap for the coming decades, focusing on making the area self-sustainable, environmentally stable, and economically sound.
In his appeal for votes and support, Ajay has listed his priorities as local employment generation, climate change, healthcare, preservation of natural resources, solar energy, education, and chemical-free natural farming. He has also reached out to voters with a resolve to revive water sources and conserve grasslands in the panchayat.
Significantly, he has stressed the need for strategies to tackle the effects of climate change and natural calamities at the panchayat level. He promises to work towards building a climate-resilient village model by involving the local community.
“The PRIs have been given constitutional powers. If elected representatives have the willpower, they can do a lot for grassroots development. But villages have been left to the mercy of state governments since independence and still lack basic facilities. We need to change that and work at the grassroots level using the powers available to PRIs,” said Ajay Kumar.
He also said that the drug menace has reached village levels in Himachal Pradesh and needs urgent attention, while youth should be motivated to stay healthy and fit. He further linked natural farming and nutritious food with his vision of a healthy rural lifestyle, which he believes will secure the future of agriculture, farmers, and consumers in the long run.
Whether Ajay Kumar’s innovative ideas in the panchayat polls win him support remains to be seen, but he has certainly set the tone for larger grassroots issues. His agenda has already become a talking point in the election campaign.
Also read: Himachal CM meets Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
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