|
The scenario of panchayats in Uttar Pradesh is changing. A few years ago, handing over the command of the panchayat to the eldest of the area in the rural areas was considered to be the most satisfying task but now the atmosphere has changed because of the emergence of youth and women, who are ready to take a plunge in rural politics.
On March 28, the villagers of Badegaon in Agra took a decision to make an educated daughter, Kalpana Singh Gurjar, as the head of the village. "If the educated youth, including girls, can take the mantle, why should elderly people become pradhan all the time. So the villagers unanimously decided to make Kalpana their gram pradhan," says Mahesh Kumar, a villager.
Additional Election Commissioner Ved Prakash Verma says that such initiative can now take place in other villages as well. "If villagers select young and educated youth as the village head it could save government money," he said.
Verma hopes that this time, compared to the past panchayat elections, a large number of educated youth and women will come and try their luck in village politics. "This will accelerate the developmental works in the villages and strengthen rural democracy," he says.
The past results of panchayat elections suggest that the landscape of villages is constantly changing. Villagers are now electing more young candidates. In 2015, the number of people between 21 and 35 years of age was about 35.18 per cent of the total candidates who won the panchayat elections, of them women accounted for 43.8 per cent. The results suggest only 9.6 per cent of illiterate candidates won the elections.
Associate professor at Jai Narain Post-Graduate College, Dr Brijesh Mishra, said that the dynamics of panchayats had changed with elderly people now being considered as misfit. He points out that earlier, panchayats used to be the centre of settling mutual quarrels but now they have become the axis of development.
"People are aware about development and they feel that a young person can be more productive," he said and added, "That is why more and more young people are coming to the panchayats now,"
Whatever be the reason, but the results of some panchayat elections are telling the story of the change in the thinking of society.
For example, in the 1995-96 panchayat elections, the number of candidates between 21 and 35 years of age was about 37 per cent, but in the elections held in 2005 after ten years, 46.61 per cent of those who won were under 35 years of age.
In 2015, the number of candidates in the age group of 21- 35 years was about 35.18 per cent of the total candidates who won the panchayat elections and 59.4 per cent of the candidates who won were 35 to 60 years of age. The results of the 2015 panchayat elections show that out of 58,868 gram pradhans, 20,707 were below 35 years of age. Of the 816 block heads, 323 were within 35 years of age and among the 74 district panchayat presidents, 41 were between 21 and 35 years of age.
A similar picture is also on the posts of gram panchayat member, kshetra panchayat member, zila panchayat member, jyeshtha deputy chief, junior deputy chief.
The panchayat elections will be held in four phases on April 15, 19, 26 and 29. The model code of conduct has come into force throughout the state.