Over 10,000 sarpanches take oath in Punjab; Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann attend ceremony
PTC Web Desk: A total of 10,031 sarpanches from 19 districts were sworn in at a state-level oath-taking ceremony held at Dhanansu, Ludhiana, on Friday. The event was attended by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
In his address, Arvind Kejriwal highlighted the significance of the role of a sarpanch. "It has been 12 years since our party was founded. We have fought numerous elections. Becoming an MLA is easy, but becoming a sarpanch is not. The responsibility you have been entrusted with by the people is immense, and you must uphold the trust given to you by both villagers and the Almighty," he told the gathering of sarpanches.
Kejriwal urged the newly elected sarpanches to use government grants wisely for the welfare of the people. He exhorted them to act in the best interest of the community without indulging in corruption. He said Sarpanches must make decisions in consultation with the village residents. "If you work with honesty and transparency, no decision can go wrong. According to the law, gram sabhas must be held twice a year, but in many cases, they only exist on paper. I urge you to try and hold gram sabhas every month to keep the community engaged."
The AAP leader assured the sarpanches that the government would fully support them in carrying out their duties. "A sarpanch is not a representative of any political party but a leader for the entire village. We will support you, but your intentions must be pure," Kejriwal added.
Addressing the gathering, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said sarpanches played a pivotal role in transforming the face of villages. He assured that the Punjab Government would provide all necessary assistance for the development of rural areas. "Sarpanches need to focus on their village and work for its welfare. Once elections are over, your party affiliations should be set aside, and you must serve the people of the village," Mann added.
Meanwhile, four districts — Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Muktsar, and Barnala, will see 3,200 sarpanches take their oaths later due to the imposition of the election code of conduct. Voting in these areas is scheduled for November 20, followed by counting of votes on November 23.
- PTC NEWS
