Young Leader Transforms Chhinnamasta: A Model of Governance and Development

Kathmandu. Following the 'Gen-Z' movement on Bhadra 23 and 24, the appeal of this generation in politics is on the rise. However, the leadership of Chhinnamasta Rural Municipality in Saptari has been held by a youth from this same age group for the past 4 years.

29-year-old Bidyanda Chaudhary is not just running the rural municipality; he is dedicated to contributing to its development and improving the living standards of the locals through his leadership. Due to his efficiency, he recently received the 'Best Mayor Award' in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Chaudhary was only 25 when he was elected from the then Loktantrik Samajwadi Party (LOSPA) in the 2079 local elections. Since his election, the maturity he has shown in governance, sustainable development, and social inclusion is remarkable. With youthful energy and a simple nature, he is always found on the ground listening to the problems of the locals. Despite his young age, his decision-making ability and public-accountable style have helped Chhinnamasta catch a new rhythm of change, which has also helped instill trust in youth leadership.

Chaudhary states that he is on a mission to make the rural municipality a model by prioritizing education, health, irrigation, infrastructure, and the empowerment of women who are economically and socially backward through agriculture. He claims that because he understands the problems of the common people closely, the rural municipality has achieved significant success in economic, social, and cultural upliftment.

He has continued to implement plans such as the introduction of English-medium education in community schools, special programs for women and marginalized groups, expansion of health services, promotion of agriculture, and self-employment and skill development for youth.

Spread over approximately 38.72 square kilometers, Chhinnamasta Rural Municipality has 7 wards and 17 villages. Chaudhary says the main challenge for the municipality is its low internal income. He shares his experience that with an annual internal income of only about 2 million rupees and a budget of 8-100 million from the federal government, overall development is like chewing iron nuts. However, he mentioned that to properly mobilize resources, a study committee was formed to determine sectoral priorities and move the work forward.

'Mud-free Chhinnamasta' Campaign

Immediately after being elected, Chaudhary's first priority was 'Mud-free Chhinnamasta.' Accordingly, the roads that used to become muddy and impassable as soon as the rainy season started in the past have changed today. Hundreds of roads have been paved (PCC), dozens have been blacktopped, and more are in the process. Additionally, drains have been constructed for scientific sewage disposal.

After the work on the 10-kilometer main road connecting Rajbiraj to Chhinnamasta Temple moved at a snail's pace, Chairman Chaudhary repeatedly pleaded with the then Prime Ministers, sat on a sit-in with all representatives at the Road Division Office in Lahan, and finally accelerated the work through public dialogue on the road itself. To end the suffering locals faced due to the lack of a bridge over the Ghodadah River in Mahuwa-Mohanpur, bridge construction work has begun under his initiative. Similarly, locals are happy after the construction of a bridge over the Markahi River, which connects Sakhara-Kupi and Rampura, as it was very difficult during the rainy season.

Improvement in Education

Believing that 'society cannot change without improving education,' Chaudhary has even issued a 'Municipal Education Act' for the upgrading of the 19 community schools in the municipality. Despite the lack of resources, the pathetic physical structures of the schools have been improved. Now, compulsory English-medium teaching has been started up to grade 3 in those schools.

In child development centers, an environment has been arranged for small children to learn by showing pictures and videos through digital displays rather than the burden of books. Free technical education is being conducted at Sakhada Secondary School and Kupi Secondary School. The municipality has managed additional municipal teachers from its own budget and is attracting youth towards civil service by conducting free tuition and Public Service Commission preparation classes for underprivileged students.

Initiatives in Health

Before Chaudhary was elected, there were basic health centers in only 3 wards of Chhinnamasta. Now, health centers have reached all seven wards. The municipality has established free ambulance services and birthing centers in various places.

The biggest change he brought in the health sector is the establishment of the 'Chhinnamasta Laboratory,' where 53 types of blood and other health tests are now available at the municipal level. Through the 'Regular Health Clinic,' doctors themselves reach the doorsteps of the people. A 'free portable ultrasound' is being arranged for the care of pregnant women, which will make it easier to check the condition of the baby in the womb.

Not only this, but through health camps, uterine cancer in dozens of women has been identified in time and treatment has been arranged. Chaudhary says that continuous efforts are being made with the federal government for the construction of a 15-bed hospital.

Municipality to Pay Electricity Bills

100 percent of the citizens of Chhinnamasta are involved in agriculture. The main problems there were irrigation and fertilizers. Chairman Chaudhary has launched an agricultural electrification campaign with the goal of reaching agricultural electricity to every field within 5 years. So far, about 70 percent of the fields have access to electric irrigation, and in coordination with the Alternative Energy Promotion Center, solar irrigation systems have been installed in 100 bighas of fields.

Similarly, Chaudhary says that an ambitious irrigation project worth about 22.5 million is in the construction phase with the financial cooperation of the Alternative Energy Promotion Center to provide irrigation access to about 700 bighas of fields in Phulkahi Chori of Chhinnamasta-5.

To encourage farmers, the municipality has made a decision: 'The municipality will bear 100 percent of the entire tariff of the farmers' agricultural meters.'

Camps have been conducted for soil testing, and arrangements have been made to provide weather and market information to farmers through a digital office. Long-term plans have been put forward to make flower farming and improved goat rearing professional, targeting the sacrifices and worship at the temple.

Journey from Burqa to Pad

In this municipality, which has a majority of Muslim and Dalit communities, women were mostly confined to their homes. Chairman Chaudhary has formed 56 women's groups in coordination with various United Nations agencies. This program, which covers about 1400 women, has brought women out of burqas and kitchens into agricultural business and leadership. They have been made self-employed by providing free seeds, machines, and technical support.

Another notable work is the 'One House, One Pad' campaign. For women in underprivileged and Dalit settlements who cannot afford to buy sanitary pads due to financial constraints, the municipality has arranged to deliver free pads to their homes. Chaudhary, who has stood against social evils, has intensified the campaign to declare Chhinnamasta a child marriage and caste-based untouchability-free municipality.

Tourism and Sports

2.5 to 3 million tourists visit the famous Chhinnamasta Shaktipeeth annually, 60 percent of whom are Indians. Chaudhary believes that the locals have not been able to benefit from this due to a lack of branding. The municipality has now started 'Ganga Aarti' at the Chhinnamasta temple every evening, which has increased religious tourism attraction in the evening.

Similarly, on the day of Phulpati every Dashain, the Nepali Army helicopter has started the tradition of flower showers at the Shaktipeeth temple.

Reviving the traditional Dashain volleyball game that had been closed for 15-20 years, the 'Chairman Cup National Volleyball Tournament' has been started.

Chairman Chaudhary wants to identify himself as a representative of the Gen-Z generation. His style of work seems different from other traditional leaders. After the damage caused by the Gen-Z movement on Bhadra 22 and 23, he decided to deposit 2 days' salary and allowances of all municipal employees, teachers, and representatives into the state's reconstruction fund on Ashoj 2, even before the then federal government, so that reconstruction could take place. This step was also discussed. Because the federal government appealed to everyone to contribute to the reconstruction fund only on Ashoj 8.

Although there is no media discussion like the leadership of other places, Chaudhary claims that they are not behind in the will to work. 'We don't have enough resources, but we have the indomitable courage to serve the people,' he says. Being a border area, he says he is working with a nationalist image and a clear action plan for development so that his citizens do not get disappointed seeing the development of India.

Challenges and the Way Forward

While acknowledging the remarkable work, Chaudhary admits that there are many challenges. He complains that the 20 to 30 percent cut in grants provided by the federal government has hindered performance. However, he informed that work is being done to install free toilets and tube wells in underprivileged settlements in collaboration with foreign organizations like Habitat Korea.

Who is Chaudhary?

Generally, children studying in grade 5 are busy with sports and studies, but this did not apply to Chaudhary. Possessed by the ghost of politics from a young age, he is established today as one of the youngest municipal heads in the country.

Bidyanda, a rebel by nature who organized students against the mismanagement of the school from grade 5, started student politics formally in 2069. He was on the front line in the 2072 Madhesh movement and is also a survivor of the 'Maleth incident.' In the fight for rights and identity, his right hand was hit by shrapnel from a bullet fired by the police, which further established him in Madhesh politics.

During his political journey, he became a candidate for ward chairman in the 2074 local level elections when he was about to turn 18, but was defeated by a narrow margin of only 13 votes. That defeat did not distract him but gave him more energy. As a result, in the 2079 elections, he won the rural municipality chairman post from LOSPA by a huge margin.

After being elected, Bidyanda had another challenge—he was the only representative of his party in the 38-member executive. But he says that because of his coordinating policy of rising above the party and developing the village, work is being done in Chhinnamasta rising above party interests. By the time he took over the leadership, the municipality was plagued by internal conflict. But even while being the only elected leader from his party, Chaudhary broke that situation and established Chhinnamasta as the first municipality in the province to successfully complete the council.

The rebel youth of yesterday has emerged as an influential leader today. Saying that he is integrating himself into society according to public sentiment, he says, 'This is just a small step for my society, there is much left to do.'