The district-level Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) committee has launched a variety of public awareness programmes to sensitise voters regarding the importance of voting and, in turn, ensure maximum turnout in the Lok Sabha elections.
The district-level SVEEP committee head and Dharwad Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer B.C. Satish flagged off a bicycle rally held as part of the voter awareness programme on the Anjuman College premises here on Tuesday. Students and professors of various colleges, office-bearers of Anjuman Educational Institutions, government officials and others were present. A large number of students participated in the rally. En route , the rally visited Amminabhavi, Harobelavadi, Mansur, Managundi, Kyarakoppa, Nuggikeri, Honakoppa, Kanavi Honnapur, Hubballi, Bhyridevarakoppa and Sattur before culminating at the Deputy Commissioner’s office compound in the evening.
According to a release, the district administration and the SVEEP committee will organise several programmes for people from different walks of life under the Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme in the district. The focus would be on informing, educating and motivating people to participate in exercising their franchise to make democracy more participative and meaningful.
To achieve this objective, the district administration has roped in different government departments and others to create larger awareness among voters regarding the importance of participating in the election process. The departments of Public Instructions, Women and Child Development, Industries, Youth Empowerment and Sports, Health and Family Welfare and others have been roped into this process to focus on the segments of population falling under their respective jurisdiction, the release said.
The Department of Public Instructions would launch programmes such as Prabhat Pheri, quiz, elocution, pick and speak, drama, kite festival, drawing and painting for students. The district-level officials and the Block Education Officers have been asked to coordinate in holding these programmes.
Alongside, the Department of Backward Class and Minorities that runs several student hostels would launch programmes in students hostels and other such establishments. Programmes such as walkathon, bicycle rally, street plays and wall writings would be held. The Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports would also hold events, including marathon, cycle rally and skating rally, both in urban and rural areas.
Under SVEEP, the district administration has given special focus on covering women voters. Accordingly, the Department of Women and Child Development has been assigned to hold programmes focussing on women.
The officials have designed a variety of programmes for members of women self-help groups having good organisational network in rural areas. This apart, special programmes would be held for the benefit of the third gender groups, Devadasis and HIV patients. Competitions in drawing rangolis would be held to catch the attention of the rural folk to the awareness programme, the release said. This apart, the Department of Industries and Commerce would hold several programmes in association with the Karnatak Chamber of Commerce (KCCI) and other industrial bodies for the benefit of industrialists, workers in major factories and small and medium-scale industries, the release added.
Apart from these, other events such as live phone-in programme, marathon in association with the Hubballi-Dharwad Bus Rapid Transit System Limited, kite festival, Hasya Sanje comedy show, exhibition of photos and drawings have been planned, the release said.
