Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri on Monday administered the oath of office to the newly elected panchayat pradhans and up-pradhans of Una district at a function held at the Lata Mangeshkar Auditorium of the Department of Language, Art and Culture at Samoor Kalan village near Una.
The ceremony was attended by all four MLAs from the district — Satpal Singh Satti, Vivek Sharma, Rakesh Kalia and Sudarshan Babloo — along with Deputy Commissioner Jatin Lal, Chairman of the State Scheduled Castes Commission Kuldip Kumar and former Una MLA Satpal Raizada.
Addressing the gathering, Agnihotri emphasised the crucial role of Panchayati Raj Institutions in shaping the future of rural Himachal Pradesh. He said the progress and prosperity of the state depend on the development of its villages and urged the newly elected representatives to work with dedication, transparency and a spirit of public service.
Calling Panchayat representatives the architects of grassroots development, he said their vision, decision-making ability and work culture would determine the pace of progress in their respective areas over the next five years. He urged them to rise above political considerations and work impartially for the welfare of all sections of society, especially the weaker and marginalised groups.
The Deputy Chief Minister also stressed the need to combat social challenges such as corruption and drug abuse. He called upon the elected leaders to ensure cleanliness, access to quality healthcare, safe drinking water, education and effective guidance for youth to steer them away from drugs and other social evils.
