8 months ago
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“The marigolds (Chendumalli) we planted person bloomed. You should travel for the harvest,” said 1 of the 21 otherwise abled individuals from the Thalir BUDS Rehabilitation Centre successful Velure grama panchayat to Thrissur Collector Arjun Pandian. They were guests astatine a face-to-face programme, ‘Meet Your Collector,’ held by the Collector.
What began arsenic an informal chat with students has grown into a palmy interactive level that connects students and different citizens with governance.
On September 27, the 50th variation of the programme volition unfold astatine the scenic Muniyattukunnu Hill Station successful Varandarappilly wherever Mr. Pandian volition interact with schoolchildren from the panchayat.
“Children utilized to driblet successful to my bureau randomly, and sometimes we would sojourn schools and colleges,” recalls Mr. Pandian. “But many, particularly from agrarian areas, ne'er had the accidental to spot the Collectorate. That’s erstwhile we thought of creating a level wherever students could interact freely with the administration.”
Launched successful August 2024 with students and teachers of Pampady Government School arsenic guests, the programme has since reached 34 schools, 16 colleges, and implicit 1,500 participants, including otherwise abled children, anganwadi teachers, Haritha Karma Sena workers, elder citizens and taste groups. The sessions are held connected Wednesdays, without disrupting authoritative work.
Guidance too
The interactions are candid and wide-ranging. “Students rise tiny but precise existent issues from their regular lives,” says Mr. Pandian. “We effort to lick the contented with the assistance of the constabulary oregon the Education department. Many besides inquire however to hole for the Civil Services examinations. It’s arsenic overmuch astir guidance arsenic it is astir governance.”
The interaction has been tangible. Suggestions from students person led to organisation of sports equipment, laptops and bicycles for schools and students, conducting of acquisition tours, and adjacent peculiar arrangements for otherwise abled children to bask the Thrissur Pooram and Pulikali. In 1 case, concerns raised by students prompted a dedicated mechanics to item transport issues straight to the Regional Transport Officer.
Significance of venue
As the programme enters its 50th chapter, the venue itself carries significance. “We chose Muniyattukunnu not lone for the milestone but besides to item its tourism potential,” says Mr. Pandian. “We are moving with the Tourism section to make it arsenic a cardinal destination. ‘Meet Your Collector’ is not conscionable astir dialogue, it’s astir shaping the district’s aboriginal together.”
The Thrissur inaugural has already inspired akin programmes successful different districts of Kerala, marking a displacement towards much transparent, people-friendly governance.
