Healthcare, yoga sessions in focus as kids helm Himachal Pradesh assembly

Shimla: Children took over the Himachal Pradesh assembly for an hour and a half on Monday to participate in a mock session, which chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said would go down in the annals of the Vidhan Sabha.
Sukhu assured the kids to consider their suggestions, which ranged from improvement in the state’s health services to special yoga sessions in schools.He said the children participating in the “Bal Satra” were fortunate to have got an opportunity to express themselves in the Vidhan Sabha, a 98-year-old complex which has been a witness to several historical events. The session conducted on World Day Against Child Labour was aimed at sensitising the children about political literacy along with other burning issues, including citizens’ rights.
Organised by digital children’s fair under the aegis of Himachal Pradesh legislative assembly, the session saw majority of the students from government schools, including Navodayas.
During the House proceedings, a “child MLA” raised the issue of lack of government-run career counselling centres. The young “legislators” also posed questions related to vacant posts of teachers and doctors in education and health sectors.
Recalling his political journey, the chief minister said he was just 17 years old when he contested his first election as a class representative. “After that, there was no looking back as my career progressed from students’ organisations to state-level politics,” he added.
“My hard work and sincerity towards the organisation I worked with played pivotal role in shaping my career and earning affection of the people, who made me the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh,” Sukhu said. Saying that there is no shortcut to success, he motivated students to keep trying hard to achieve their goals. tnn