With assembly elections just round the corner in Uttar Pradesh, voters of this large state are waiting to cast their votes, some eagerly, like 18-year-old first timers, and some not so eagerly. Yet, there are some who do not vote at all, and some who are seemingly unaware about the whole process itself.
Taking all this into consideration, and to increase the number of voters in Banda, DM Anurag Patel has started an initiative named ‘75% Ho Matdaan, Banda Bane Desh Ki shaan’. Through this initiative, the DM is trying to appeal to people to cast their votes freely this time on voting day, 23 February.
Indian Masterminds spoke to DM Anurag Patel about his unique way of appealing to people to cast their vote in the upcoming assembly elections.
OBJECTIVE
Mr. Patel said that in the 2017 elections held in four assembly seats of Banda, they were able to get only 59.65% voting. “It is generally believed that if we achieve 60% in anything, then we have passed with first class. However, in 2017, we weren’t able to achieve this. So, for the upcoming elections which are starting, we are trying our best to achieve more than 75% of voting in our district.”
This initiative started late as there were many restrictions which they had to follow. “There are covid protocols, vaccination drive, paddy purchase, fertilizer problems which we have to look after. However, we are into this initiative and trying to appeal to as much people as we can,” Mr. Patel said.
FIRST PHASE
In the first phase of the initiative, the district administration organised alpana and mehendi competitions in schools and colleges of Banda. “With the help of students of schools and colleges, we started the rallies and encouraged and motivated people to cast their vote,” the officer said.
SECOND PHASE
In the second phase, the administration organised an initiative named ‘Sakshar Pradhan Gaon ki Shaan’ to educate the village heads so that they can encourage people to cast their vote. “To educate them, we appointed teachers and anganwadi women in morning and night shifts. We even took their examination on 28th December and the result is quite encouraging. They have learned a lot in a short span of time, as now, the village heads are able to write their name, alphabets in Hindi and English among other things,” informed Mr. Patel.
The administration has now made these 58 village heads the brand ambassadors of the initiative, 75% Ho Matdaan, Banda Bane Desh ki Shaan.
“We have provided some slogans to the village heads as they are now the brand ambassador of this initiative. They are going door to door of the villagers making them aware about voting and appealing to them to come and vote on 23February.”
The slogan they are using is: “Dada dadi booth pe jao, apna vote daal ke aao, mummy papa booth pe jao, apna vote daal ke aao, didi bhaiya booth pe jao, apna vote daal ke aao.”
ALL-ROUND EDUCATION
In the second phase, the administration also started an initiative named prashashan, poshan pathan (administration, nutrition, education) in which around 101 officers, including the DM himself, adopted 2 schools, 2 anganwadi centres and 2 villages each.
“We go there once a week, teach kids in the school, look after the anganwadi centres, provide things that are needed to them, continue vaccination drive in our adopted villages, and make people aware about voting,” DM Patel told Indian Masterminds.
All these 101 officers, including the DM, have been made the brand ambassadors of the 202 villages they have adopted.
On January 17 and 19, the officers went to their adopted villages and appealed to the people for three hours to cast their votes freely.
UPCOMING PROGRAMES
In the upcoming days, the DM said, they are organising some more programmes in the district and villages to motivate people to vote. “Among them, we are including the transgender and specially-abled people also, to come forward and vote.”
DM’s APPEAL
In conclusion, DM Anurag Patel appealed to “all people to come forward and cast their vote as it is their right. I appeal to all the youngsters who are 18 and above to cast their vote.”
He also asked everyone to encourage their parents and neighbours to go and vote freely.
