Monday, February 08, 2016

Kirpal Patti awaits Sarpanch candidates

Kirpal Patti awaits Sarpanch candidates
SIRSA NEWS 
08 February, 2016
Pictures and Videos: Amar Singh Jyani, GS Mann, Sandeep Morewal
EFFECT OF EDUCATIONAL NORMS
Village awaits prospective sarpanches to turn 21
Residents of Patti Kirpal village in the district are up against an interesting situation in these panchayat elections.
Unable to elect their sarpanch as none qualified the educational norms set in the panchayat elections; the villagers are now waiting for two “potential sarpanches” to attain the age of 21 in February this year.
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The post of saranch of Patti Kirpal with a population of nearly 700 people and having 410 voters is reserved for Dalit woman, who has to be 8th pass.
When the elections were held in the village on January 10, five out of six panches were elected unopposed, but no nomination was filed for the post of sarpanch as none was eligible.
“A Dalit youth had recently married a girl with the condition that the bride should be 8th pass. But when the turn of filing nominations came, the family was told that she is merely 7th standard pass,” said a villager.
All eyes are now set on two cousin sisters Reena, daughter of Jeet Singh, who will be 21 on February 15, and Kulwinder Kaur, daughter of Banta Singh, who turns 21 on February 28.
Both the girls are 8th pass, but they could not file the nomination papers because they were underage.
“There is no issue between the two girls as both are from our family. We will sit together and decide whom to elect when the time comes,” said Banta Singh.
Balwinder Singh, another villager, said, “The residents are also worried that since both these girls are of marriageable age, they will not remain in the village after their marriage.” For this, villagers are also pinning their hopes on three Dalit youths of marriageable age from the village.
“If any of them can bring bride who is educated up to 8th standard, it will be even better,” Balwinder added.
Gurjeet Singh Mann, a progressive farmer from Patti Kirpal, said the village had one of the oldest schools of the area set up in 1954, but it was still up to 5th standard only.
Mamata Dhankar, a teacher in the village primary school, said: “Those who want to continue their study after 5th standard have to go to Maujkhera, which is three kilometers away.”
Chief parliamentary secretary Haryana Govt. S. Bakshish Singh Virk on his visit to village Patti Kirpal on 21st January said that this and other such primary schools in Haryana will be upgraded if they met the required norms for upgradation, the educational norms clamped on PRI elections are showing positive effects, as this time number of educated youth and females have increased. Inclusion of educated youth will also help in combating corruption in Panchayats. Mr Virk had come to address a public meeting at the residence of Ex Sarpanch S Barjinder Singh Mann, where he felicitated a number of newly elected Sarpanches and members of panchayats from different villages in phase I and II.

Part of the News text courtesy: The Tribune, via Sushil Manav

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