Khattar’s Jan Samvad winning peoples’ heart
Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar who has always positioned himself as ‘Jan Sevak’ and is known for his simplicity and frugality in public life is now winning the hearts of every Haryanvi through his Jan Samvad programmes.
Jan Samvad programmes, which started in April, are not only playing a key role in bridging the gap between ‘janta and sarkar’ but are also proving to be a big hit among the villagers as this platform connects the villagers directly with their chief minister and they share their rights-based demands. Besides this, these programmes have become an effective platform for the villagers to have an appropriate outlet to report and seek on-the-spot redressal of their grievances.
While the scorching heat didn’t effect Khattar in last six days along with his administrative wing, he has conducted whirlwind tours to attend Jan Samvad programmes in the Sirsa and Mahendragarh.
Interestingly, the six days that the chief minister had spent in Sirsa and Mahendragarh districts turned out to be more special as during the Jan Samvad programmes in these two districts, which borders with Rajasthan, on many occasions, villagers became emotional as they got a closer glimpse of the CM for the first time.
Through these Samvad programmes, Khattar is not only taking the responsibility for linking the villagers directly to the government but also understands the nature and extent of the grievances faced by his citizens, which he considers as his own family.
Khattar’s Jan Samvad is not only realising Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj but also the concept of panch-parmeshwar in the true sense.
This can be gauged from the fact that during these programmes he along with the sarpanches interacted with the villagers while sitting on charpoys (cots) and muddha (stool); which garnered appreciation from the locals.
Fervent and traditional welcome of the Chief Minister in every Samvad remained the key highlight as not only were the youngsters enthusiastic about the programme, but women dressed in traditional ‘Bagdi’ and ‘Ahiri ‘costumes gave traditional welcome to the Chief Minister. Also, ‘Namdhari’ Sikhs of Sirsa district, who are associated with the Kuka movement, gave a warm and special welcome to the Chief Minister.
It is worth noting that Sirsa district is one of the few in the state where Bagri and Punjabi are spoken by everyone. Dabwali village is one such village in the district that existed before the country’s independence, but no leader ever visited this belt to enquire about the well being of the villagers. However, known for taking pioneering public welfare initiatives since he assumed power in 2014, Khattar became the first Chief Minister to address a Jan Samvad in Dabwali.
The Chief Minister has been vocal about the fact that he follows the mantra of ‘Sach Kehna Sukhi Rehna’.
On various occasions, in the Jan Samvad, he has clarified that he never believes in offering freebies. The Chief Minister himself invites the public to choose one welfare work done by his government which they find laudable.
On the people’s request, the Chief Minister directed the officers of the School Education Department to start the mapping of the schools that need to be upgraded from 10th to 12th grades, provided if a school has a strength of 80 students,. Every 3 kms, there will now be a senior secondary school.
