THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Strategies to strengthen local self-governments and attract youngsters to the People’s Planning Campaign (PPC), besides issues related to the autonomy of the local bodies in the state, were discussed at the gathering of people’s planning activists on Sunday, held as part of the 30th anniversary of the celebrated campaign.
Inaugurating the gathering, Minister for Local Self-Government K M Shaji said steps will be taken to create awareness among youngsters about the significance of people’s planning in the development of local bodies and the state.
“We should stand together for the state’s development. What was done 30 years ago cannot be repeated. We have advanced technologically. AI is controlling the world and our personal plans depend on AI. Our development plans cannot be limited to our perspectives. We should take up new challenges, and our Gen Z can help. We can make our plans and projects according to the requirements with the help of AI,” Shaji said.
As part of the event, panel discussions were held on several topics, including climate change, secularism, elderly care, waste management, technology and local governance, and agriculture.
Former finance minister T M Thomas Isaac said the challenge before the PPC is to attract youngsters into it.
“The discussion has helped in bringing a few suggestions to involve more youth in this. We should design courses that offer the students an opportunity to do an internship with the nearest local body. Also, we should come up with student unions at the local self-government level.
Moreover, digital communication remains crucial in implementing these,” Isaac said, adding that a committee with representatives from all districts and former local self-government ministers as members should be constituted as the second phase of PPC begins.
Minister C P John, former minister M V Govindan, and former chief secretaries Sarada Muraleedharan and S M Vijayanand were among those who spoke at the event.
