Bal Sabhas promoting child-friendly panchayats held on National Sports Day across MP

Correspondent

NewsBits.in

BHOPAL: On the occasion of National Sports Day (August 29), Bal Sabhas (children’s meetings) were organized by the Department of Panchayat and Rural Development in almost all district panchayats of Madhya Pradesh.

Similar Bal Sabhas were also conducted in all the districts of the state under the guidance of the Department of Panchayat and Rural Development in collaboration with the Department of School Education and UNICEF.

This initiative had the aim of promoting the localization of Sustainable Development Goals thematic area- 3 through ‘Child-friendly Panchayats’. Bal Sabhas are an important step in strengthening the role and active participation of children in the Gram Panchayat (village local council) development process.

As the Bal Sabhas were held on the National Sports Day - the opportunity was utilized to emphasize on the importance of sports in the overall development of children and to improve the way sports culture is looked at in villages.

It also helped emphasize the importance of schools that can play an active role in promoting sports culture. As per the plan, some games were also organized with children who participated enthusiastically.

The children raised issues related to their overall development such as having a separate playground for girls, provision for girls’ cricket, arrangement of coaches for several sports, and proper facilities of play for hostel students.

Some of the children presented their issues in front of the Sarpanch (elected village head) and school administration, which were noted down and taken into consideration.

In Bhopal, the program was organised under the guidance of CEO Panchayat District Bhopal and UNICEF along with the teachers and students of Maharana Pratap Higher Secondary School, Phanda. Varsha Solanki, Sarpanch, Gram Panchayat, Phanda and others participated enthusiastically.