Rayagada: The district administration here has found an innovative way to educate and create awareness among the voters for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The move has drawn appreciation from various quarters.
Officials informed that the administration is using bamboo-made hand fans to conduct voter awareness programmes and to attract them to polling stations to cast their votes. Almost all the bamboo-made fans being sold in this district have messages concerning the upcoming polls. The messages ask voters to turn out in large numbers and to cooperate for a free, fair, impartial and peaceful election.
A slogan in the local dialect, ‘Muin Misha Vote Debi’ (I will vote in the election) is written in most of the bamboo fans. It is bound to attract attention. As per the schedule, three Assembly constituencies in this district will go to polls May 13. They are Rayagada, Bissam Cuttack and Gunupur. The district administration is trying to ensure 100 per cent turnout in all the booths of these constituencies. Officials said if it happens, it will certainly be a victory for democracy. This year, around 32,189 new voters will cast their votes for the first time in this district. The administration is also conducting awareness programmes in tribal areas to educate them about their rights and encourage them to cast votes. The district registered 75 per cent polling in the 2019 elections. “Hopefully this time around, we can achieve the 100 per cent mark,” said an official of the district administration. The use of bamboo fans for creating awareness has been beneficial for the people who make them. With the district administration buying large quantities of fans, the earnings of the artisans have also increased. Details of most of the polling booths have been inscribed on the fans through traditional Saura paintings known as ‘Idital’. Rayagada sub-collector Kalyani Sanghamitra Devi said that the district administration decided to use bamboo fans to create voter awareness on the direction of Collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan. The fans are being used in the awareness programmes as it is cost-efficient and environment friendly, Devi said.
Some of these fans also have details of the various Apps that can be used during the elections like the ‘Sakhyam App’ for disabled persons and ‘cVigil APP’. This move by the district administration has been appreciated by the local residents, informed Devi
