Its time to modernise the Indian education system and bring in more reforms in the country to fast track the development, children from all over the country who gathered here for the first bal sansad (childrens Parliament) pondered. The bal sansad was organised to mark World Day Against Child Labour, After scrutinising over 1108 applications online, 68 children were elected as legislators for bal satra (special session) and the student who would play role of the chief minister in the event was also selected through this process. Jhanvi Sharma from Sundernagar held the post of the chief minister for the event. The children from different schools expressed concern over rising drug addiction, exploitation of women and highlighted increasing accidents and stressed on womens protection. The issue of drug abuse echoed in the childrens session of the Vidhan SSabha, even as the opposition shouted slogans.At a time when drug abuse has become a burning problem in the country and the world, in childrens sessions of the state assembly, speaker one after another expressed concern over the rising drug menace. The enthusiasm ran so high amongst children that they gathered at the well of the house to lodge their protest against drugs and vowed to fight it out. Children from different schools played in opposition as well as the ruling.Tanvi Sharma, a participant was keen to know the number of drug de-addiction centres in Himachal to prevent drug use and what steps the government is taking to prevent drug use. Tushar, who held the post of child deputy chief minister, said that to stop drug abuse, de-addiction centres have been opened in one year in Himachal. In this, one de-addiction centre has been opened in Bilaspur, five in Hamirpur, 15 in Kangra, 15 in Kullu, three in Mandi, three in Shimla, 4 in Tera Sirmaur, 22 in Solah and 25 in Una, while there is not a single de-addiction centre in Chamba, Lahaul, Spiti and Kinnaur. On this, opposition child MLA Sahil Kapoor asked in a compensatory question why more cases of drug abuse are coming to the fore in Shimla, Solan and Una. On this, Jhanvi holding post of the CM expressed concern over the increasing drug abuse in the state and said that these districts are adjacent to Punjab, due to which more cases of drug abuse are coming to the fore here.Children participants were equally aware of problems in health institutions. Children said that the government pandemic provided new opportunities for the government to improve education standards.Chief minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu while appreciating the children said that said that only conscious children reveal the thinking of the countrys youth. He announced on the occasion that the state government would start a 10-minute yoga session every day in schools. Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh said that artificial intelligence is giving birth to a new world and it is the responsibility of the young generation to solve the challenges arising from it. He said that todays young generation is the biggest hope for making India a Vishwa Guru as per the dreams of Swami Vivekananda. Harivansh Narayan Singh advised the child legislators to read more and more books even in the digital age and said that todays reader can be a good leader of tomorrow.Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania while addressing the childrens session said that child MLAs were seen as concerned for society like real MLAs, which is a good sign. He said that the selection of child legislators for the childrens session of the Vidhan Sabha was purely on the basis of merit and most of these children were from government schools.
