Under a unique initiative of the Patiala District Administration, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Himanshu Aggarwal interacted directly with the candidates selected for the two-month ‘Public Policy Internship Programme’, launched to provide young people with first-hand exposure to administrative functioning and public policy implementation. During the special orientation programme, he acquainted himself with the interns and encouraged them to actively contribute to the grassroots implementation of government policies and the district’s development initiatives.
Addressing the selected interns under the programme, conceptualised by the District Bureau of Employment and Enterprises (DBEE), Patiala under the leadership of the Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Himanshu Aggarwal said that the experience gained while working as interns in different government departments would prove highly beneficial for their future careers. He informed that around 400 applications were received for the programme, out of which 50 interns were selected.
The Deputy Commissioner interacted with the candidates to understand their academic backgrounds and areas of interest and allocated them to different government departments based on their educational qualifications and personal interests to ensure the optimum utilisation of their abilities. He said that the programme would become a milestone in giving a new direction to the future of young people and in nurturing leadership qualities among them.
Dr. Himanshu Aggarwal stated that the internship programme would foster a mutually beneficial engagement, wherein government departments would gain from the fresh perspectives and energy of young minds, while the interns would get an opportunity to closely observe and understand the nuances of government functioning. He added that this experience would be highly valuable for their future careers and that the certificate issued by the District Magistrate would also strengthen their employment prospects.
He further observed that while people often point out shortcomings in the system, young participants who experience government functioning firsthand would be in a better position to offer constructive suggestions and practical recommendations for further improvement based on their own observations. The Deputy Commissioner informed that all interns would now work on various projects under the guidance and supervision of senior officers from their respective departments.
The entire internship programme and project implementation will be monitored by DBEE Deputy CEO Satinder Singh and Career Counsellor Dr. Roopsi Pahuja. Among those present during the orientation programme were DMC Dr. Jaswinder Singh from the Civil Surgeon’s Office, Red Cross Secretary Dr. Pritpal Singh, District Sports Officer Navjot Singh, District Information Officer Harkrishan Singh, officials from the District Education Officer (Secondary) office, and representatives from various other departments.