Though a far cry from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA, where the famous words were uttered by Abraham Lincoln over a century-and-half ago, their spirit finds an echo here in Laxmi Nagar.

Election manifestos are common pre-poll promises often conveniently forgotten both by those who made them and to whom they were made. So, voters have become too cynical to believe in them.

With a population of about 1,200 in 210 houses, Laxmi Nagar, a small village in Papannapet mandal, about nine km from the mandal headquarters, and 12 km from the district headquarters, is different.

A moral contract

With panchayat elections round the corner, the village is taking its problems head on by making contestants commit themselves to development and give a written assurance to the voters to that extent. Under their People’s Manifesto, residents are preparing an image of a ₹ 100-bond paper on which the contestant as well the voters will sign an agreement in which the villagers put up some demands. “We have imposed an image of bond paper on which the demands are put forth by the voters. This will be signed by both the voters and contestants. While this has no legal validity, it will be morally binding on the winners as it was signed in the presence of voters,” clarified Mr. Pendyala Prasad, an IT professional and social activist, and the man behind the initiative.

It will be stated in the bond that the sarpanch has to spend at least two hours every day at the panchayat office, holding meetings with ward members once in three months, construct drains without taking sides, taking action against illegal constructions, organising cattle health camp once in three months, repairing road that were damaged due to Mission Bhagiratha and treating villagers’ skin problems caused by dust coming out of the rice mills in the village.

Village details

The People’s Manifesto would have data about the main revenue resources in the village, irrigation facilities, main health problems, whether every house has a toilet, facilities in the primary health centre, including doctors, nurses and medicines and whether a vehicle is available during a medical emergency, among others.

Similarly, details about drinking water, street lights, internal roads, skill development centre, problems with belt shops (unlicensed liquor shops) will also be mentioned.

“The idea is to identify problems of the village house-wise and street-wise in detail and make the elected representatives address them. We are printing the 12-page People’s Manifesto and handing it over to all the houses along with the bond papers. The candidate as well as the elder in the family will sign the papers that both of them will take part in village development,” said Mr. Pendyala. The final manifesto will be prepared once the house-wise needs are identified, he added.