CONSTITUENCY DEVELOPMENT

CONSTITUENCY DEVELOPMENT BHAGWAN SHEKHAWAT

The Constituency Development is one of the paramount functions of the democratic process as well as the sole responsibility of a people’s representative in the contemporary world scenario. The people’s aspirations and their challenges become the sole motto of an elected representative to resolve these and ultimately formulating a deliberately planned Constituency Development Plan. These field notes suggest certain practical solutions for the people’s representatives and also for those who are still active in public life or having dreams to render appreciable contributions to serve the

The people’s aspirations and their challenges become the sole motto of an elected representative to resolve these and ultimately formulating a deliberately planned Constituency

Development Plan

people as part of their social responsibilities.

As an elected member of a legislative assembly or a parliament, our representatives are the custodian of the People’s Interests. However, it has become more challenging in present complex political scenario due to the ongoing rapid pace of industrialization and socioeconomic development to identify the People’s Interests correctly and timely. These field notes are not only the readymade solutions to the problems for identifying the People’s Interests but also aim at inviting the attention of the Honorable Members for facilitating better Constituency Management in a holistic and responsible manner. Formulation of an effective Constituency Development Plan may assist in achieving the inclusive political prosperity through consistency in performance, accountability in actions and sincerity in implementation of the plan in any political system of a democratic Nation in the world. Though it is a herculean task to discuss about all the aspects of development but efforts have been made to address the important concerns of the integrated development to meet the aspirations of our people.

Our people need the services of the representatives to address their routine challenges.

CONSTITUENCY WORK IS THE PARAMOUNT RESPONSIBILITY

It is an important responsibility to ensure that the Govt works efficiently and responsibly in addressing the problems, expectations and aspirations of the people who have elected their representatives with an aim to provide inclusive good governance and bring sustainable progressive transformation in their lives. An elected representative have many assignments as a member of a legislative assembly or a parliament to include attending the various meetings and be a member of various committees, but above all these responsibilities, it is important to strive for the sustainable development of the constituency by means of formulating an effective Constituency Development Plan by seeking peoples’ participation to identify and address the local problems and needs based on their aspirations and the urgency involved.

IDENTIFYING KEY RESULT AREAS FOR INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT

A people’s representative must identify the people’s concern, expectations and aspirations perfectly and precisely to identify the Key Result Areas for achieving integrated development of the constituency. It is usual to have difference of opinion among different interest groups from their perspective on a particular issue and it is not easy to come to an acceptable mutual conclusion. Therefore, a Constituency Development Plan will enable a representative to understand their realistic social challenges, collective expectations and progressive aspirations of these interest groups and stakeholders from a particular people centric perspective after having due concern for the region specific development needs and respect for their traditions and cultural values. Moreover, a people’s representative must act as a Development Leader in the constituency in the contemporary progressive world.

PEOPLE’S EXPECTATIONS FROM THEIR REPRESENTATIVES

Our people need the services of the representatives to address their routine challenges. They need them the most. They desire that the elected representatives must remain with them always and

everywhere. The people feel that the elected representatives are their voice in the respective legislative assemblies or the parliaments and represent them in the Govt to provide good governance. It is also suggested that the representatives should be accessible to the people and they must communicate with the people directly and achieve community collaboration. Non accessibility of an elected representative is a concern these days all over the world. It is expected that a representative must always be with the people and resolve their problems and achieve their aspirations which they have from the elected representatives in a democratic nation.

REPRESENTATIVE OF PEOPLE’S ASPIRATIONS

It is evident that decisions in the democracy are taken in consultation with the representatives of the people so they need to understand their problems correctly. They must priorities the people’s problems and development centric needs and ensure that these are addressed adequately by the popular Govt in power. If an elected representative of people is not active then the people have been denied their democratic rights of representation and they have no voice in the Govt and

It is evident that decisions in the democracy are taken in consultation with the representatives of the people so they need to understand their problems correctly.

their expectations can never be full filled. The peoples’ problems must be taken as their own problems by the representatives.

MICRO PLANNING IS THE KEY FOR INTEGRATE DEVELOPMENT

People are usually more sensitive about their local issues and problems depending upon their social beliefs, enriched traditions and cultural values. Their basic needs for living a descent life are food, shelter, safe drinking water, affordable health services and quality education for their children. The better roads connectivity is also a requirement for transportation of agricultural produce to the local markets. The people always desire sustainable development in their constituencies. They prefer that the quality of their lives must improve sustainably. It is therefore, imperative that they must be involved at the initial stages of micro planning so that they have sense of pride and ownership during the implementation of an effective Constituency Development Plan.

POWER PREVAILS WITH THE PEOPLE’S REPRESENTATIVES

The people’s representative as a people’s servant have the right to question the Govt agency as well as the ruling Govt with regards to any development projects going on in the concerned constituency. An elected representative may even access the information and negotiate either with the Govt or an NGO for implementation of any development scheme. A representative is the bridge between the Govt and the people. His deep dedication and unwavering commitment in the service of own people will definitely assist in resolving their routine challenges in life.

ADDRESSING PUBLIC ASPIRATIONS

A representative have to come up to the expectations and aspirations of the people because many promises are made by the respective political parties prior to the elections during the over promising political campaigning. At the same time, people face pressing problems of lack of food, quality primary education, affordable medical facilities and safe drinking water. All such demanding issues warrant seamless attention and focused approach of an elected representative. A representative must therefore have to organize minutely and address the issues of people accordingly.

ACCESSIBILITY OF THE REPRESENTATIVE TO THE COMMON MAN

The public meetings are the best way of reaching out to the last man of the community. The periodic organization of such meetings will keep a representative in touch with the people and provide ample opportunity to give patient hearing to them. An elected representative must interact with the people directly, listen to their area specific problems patiently and there should be no barrier of any nature between the people and the representative.

HEARING THE HELPLESS

A people’s representative must organize regular meetings to address their individual problems. Such problems are generally related with the Govt procedures and functioning. If a widow or a helpless person is not getting her family pension, an elected representative must give her a patient hearing and ensure that in the next coming months she gets her family pension.

ASSESS THE PUBLIC VIEWS/ OPINIONS

It is very important to assess the prevailing public views and opinions. People have their own perspective to address a problem. It is, therefore, essential that a representative must be aware fully that what people think about a legislation recently enacted, Govt policies and programmes implemented and the public image of the political party the representative belongs to. Such views can be obtained by means of attending public rallies and having personal interactions with the people.

MANAGING THE CONSTITUENCY OFFICE

A constituency office must be established which should always be manned by a Constituency Manager. This office should keep a record of all ongoing Govt development programmes in the constituency. The office must issue press releases time to time and acquire regular feedback from the people in the absence of the concerned representative.

THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES

These field notes on Constituency Development Plan intend to provide general guidelines and exhibit basic principles of constituency development management rather than being the ultimate prescriptions for the representatives. It will wholly depend upon the available resources in terms of skilled human capital, financial assistance, infrastructural support and above all the existing Govt polices. The adaptive leadership traits of the concerned representative will play a greater role in having the adaptability and achieving the feasibility in yielding maximum dividends from these field notes.

The perpetual prevailing uncertainty in the contemporary political environment is an ongoing process which is having cascading adverse impact on the pace of desired development. Moreover, the accountability in performance and rendering good governance to the people have become the prominent indicators of sustainability being achieved in the inclusive development. It has, therefore, more essential for the elected representatives to formulate an effective Constituency Development Plan. About

BHAGWAN SHEKHAWAT

Bhagwan Shekhawat is a Socio-Political Scientist, a Corporate Strategist and a People Coach residing in Jaipur city of the Indian subcontinent. He takes immense pride in enthusing, empowering and enhancing the leadership skills of the young smokestack leaders in pursuance of creating the cascades of competent future global leaders. In addition, he expresses his invaluable, inspiring and dynamic views on the emerging Fourth Wave Societies which are reshaping the societal landscape in the rapidly transforming new volatile world order. A keen reader and a progressive ideologist who amazingly advocates about the impending global Waves of Change and the ongoing paradigm shifts taking place in the contemporary socioeconomic and geopolitical spectrum. Twitter: @Colbhagwan E mail: colbhagwan@ gmail.com