RAIPUR : The Mungeli district authorities in Chhattisgarh are contacting people from the area who have migrated to other places in search of a livelihood through video calls and encouraging them to return to exercise their franchise in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

Over 22,000 workers, away from their home districts, have been contacted. The vision remains to meet the mandate of the Election Commission under the Systematic Voters Education & Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme, but with a unique touch. Mungeli, under the Bilaspur Lok Sabha constituency, is about 125 km from Raipur.

“While analysing the previous polls’ voter turnout, we found that with many migrant workers being away, the desired high polling could not be achieved. Then a strategy was put into action to connect with such people and encourage them to return and be a part of the festival of democracy,” Rahul Deo, Mungeli collector, told this newspaper.

The mission ‘Shat Pratishat Matdan Mungeli Ka Abhiman’ (100% voting for Mungeli’s pride) was floated among the migrant labourers as the government officials continued to connect with them on video calls. The data of such workers away is available to the election booth-level officers and the gram panchayat secretaries.

Why video calling? Such calls by authorities make the receivers realise the significance of voting in democracy besides elevating their self-esteem. The video connected to mobile phones ensures the officials are convincing the right persons during a visit to their habitations.

“It’s heartening to see that the responses have been extremely positive as they pledged to return to vote,” said the collector.

“It was a pleasant surprise when officials called to remind us about our democratic rights. We will come back to vote,” said Sampat Marawi, a native of Lormi working in Hyderabad.

“We acknowledge the efforts of the local authorities to strengthen the voter’s participation,” Krishna Sahu from Patharia tehsil.

As an incentive to these migrants for their willingness to return to their polling places, the district has planned to welcome them all.