Ahmedabad, 14 December 2011

This is indeed a great news. It’s a story of a small village of central Gujarat, but it can be a guiding torch for India.

Central Gujarat’s Anand district village Sisva is all set to make history by electing a gram panchayat body consisting of only girls in 18-22 age group unopposed.

The village decided this time to hand over the power to educated girls.

Sisva village elects its local gram panchayat body unopposed for last three terms. While gram panchayat election is scheduled on December 29, Sisva is all set to elect village Sarpanch and panchayat body unopposed for the forth time. In last three elections, the villagers had elected only women in local body unanimously. However the novelty of electing all girls in 18-22 age group is a new initiative that this village has taken this time.

The girls have selected India palanquin as their election symbol. It is symbolical because all these girls contesting the election are unmarried.

Sisva village is considered as one of the well managed villages in central Gujarat. There is a color scheme effective in the village. All public roads and market are painted in one color. Each house in this village has facility of sanitation. Three bore-well have solved the issue of water.

On Tuesday Hinalben Shaileshbhai Patel filed her nomination for the post of Sarpanch(village head), while Shriyaben Jayantibhai Patel, Kinnariben Rajnibhai Patel, Khushbuben Rameshbhai Patel, Krishnaben Pragneshbhai Patel, Radhaben Vijaybhai Patel, Anjaliben Kantibhai Patel, Kiranben Ishwarbhai Rohit, Khyatiben Navinbhai Patel and Nishaben Pravinbhai Patel filed nomination have filed their nominations for gram panchayat body. More two girls are going to file their nominations on Wednesday.

Hinal Patel, new Sarpanch to be elected unanimously this month is Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She intends to build a website of Sisva that would cover day-to-day affairs of the village. Hinal believes this would connect those settled abroad to their native village.

Sisva has population of over 5000 people.