Panchayat elections in Himachal Pradesh would not be held on party symbols.
“I am against Panchayats elections to be held on Party symbols and to make Panchayats as arena of politics and I do not want that people should be divided on basis of party affiliations in Gram Panchayats elections but should unanimously elect persons who could work for the welfare of the people of their areas” Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said on Wednesday.
Presiding over the State level Prize distribution function of Nirmal Gram Puraskars and Maharishi Valmiki Sampooran Swachayata (Total Sanitation) Puraskars organised by Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, here, he said, "I do not like politics to enter in every kitchen".
Singh said as far as possible the people should select their Panchayats representatives unanimously, and only if, there was no consensus on the selection of the candidate, voting should be done. He said that along with ensuring development and creating goodwill amongst all, the Panchayats representatives should carry everyone along and in the same boat.
Announcing the launching of the month long Special Sanitation Campaign throughout the State till 31st October, Chief Minister said that it would be carried keeping in view the targets as set under ‘Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan’ to make every Panchayat and local bodies ‘Green and Clean’ and sanitation free.
"Community participation in achieving total sanitation is playing significant role in creating awareness amongst the people to adopt measures of cleanliness and to make Himachal a better place to live in," he said.
As a step towards motivating the children and the society as a whole, the State Government has started ‘School Swachayata Puraskars’ and ‘Mahila Mandal Protsahan Yojna’, besides ‘Rajya Protsahan Yojna’ for achieving the objectives of sanitation campaigns during its earlier tenure in 2005-06, said Virbhadra Singh adding that every year the State Government was spending a sum of rupees four crore on cleanliness campaigns and to make such campaigns a success. He said that the State Government had also empowered Panchayats to look after the sanitation activities.