-Galla S Kiran Kumar,Bureau Chief Telagana (Andhra Pradesh)
Resolutions of Gram Sabhas are not implemented. People’s problems are visible but cannot be solved. Employees are seen in the secretariats, one for each government department, but no one listens to what they say.
It has been two years since the elections were held in the villages
due to the government’s attack on the panchayats
, the implementation of the scissor schemes on the powers of the sarpanchs, and
the diversion of funds by the financial commission to the secretariats in the management of the works.
Today, Amaravati: Resolutions of Gram Sabhas will not be implemented. People’s problems are visible but cannot be solved. Employees are seen in the secretariats, one for each government department, but no one listens to what they say. This is the pathetic condition of the Sarpanchs in the state who were elected exactly two years ago. Panchayat elections were held on February 21, 2021. Sarpanchs, who have taken up the responsibilities with many hopes and aspirations, are facing many problems with the management of the state government in these two years. Panchayats are facing financial difficulties as the funds given by the state government under various heads are not properly released. The existence of Panchayats was threatened with the establishment of Gram Secretariats. From welfare programs to development works, without the knowledge of the Sarpanchs, the government is undertaking the work under the supervision of the employees and volunteers of the secretariats. In a word, serpents became ceremonial idols.
Scissors to the powers of Panchayats
The state government is not ready to confer full powers on panchayats as per 73rd constitutional amendment. Right.. It is directly and indirectly bringing their limited powers under its control. MLAs are continuing to fight over panchayats in the name of sarpanch. Along with that, after Vaikapa came to power, a parallel system came in the name of village secretariats and volunteers. The role of Panchayats has further diminished. From October 2, 2019, the Gram Secretariat system has become available. The government first announced that it was bringing in a secretariat system to realize village swaraj, which would also be a part of the panchayat. It said that along with the Secretariat employees, volunteers will serve in the supervision and control of Panchayats. The authority to grant leave to the employees was given to the Sarpanchs. After conducting elections to panchayats in February 2021, the government.. It is completely different from what has been said so far. The supervision and control of the Serpents over the Secretariats was removed. All power to grant general leave to employees has been removed. An entirely new department was created under the name of Village and Ward Secretariats Department to directly supervise the Secretariats.
Serpents as ceremonial idols
* The employees do not count them as the serpents do not have control over the secretariats. Implementation of welfare programs in villages and selection of beneficiaries are done without the knowledge of panchayats and sarpanches. Sarpanchi, who knows the needs of every family in the village, is completely ignoring the ruling class. The secretariat is also dependent on volunteers appointed at the rate of one per 50 houses in the villages.
* Sarpanchi is Chairman of Beneficiary Selection Committee for Welfare Schemes. Without his involvement, the welfare secretary and volunteers in the village secretariat are completing the beneficiary selection process. Sarpanchus who won with the support of the opposition were sidelined.
* Panchayats and sarpanches have no participation in the programs organized under the auspices of agriculture, animal husbandry and water resources departments. All this is happening in the eyes of MLAs.
Diversion of central funds
* The State Government is not implementing the recommendations of the State Finance Commission. The report of the Fourth State Finance Commission set up in 2015 with recommendations to the state government in 2020 is still not out.
* Funds to be allocated to panchayats under profession tax, per capita income, scenery and stamp duty are also delayed. The state is also diverting the financial commission funds allotted to the panchayats by the center under the arrears of electricity charges. 14th and 15th Finance Commission has diverted around Rs.1,245 crores.
* After the Center took steps to ensure that the funds of the Finance Committee were deposited in the bank accounts of the Gram Panchayats, the Center put a knife on the necks of the Sarpanchs to pay the Rs. 948 crores released in two installments in the panchayat PD accounts as if the state had deposited them under electricity arrears.
* The current government has set aside the construction of roads, canals and other works under Narega in the villages and has allowed more than 35,000 secretariats, farmer insurance, health centers and other buildings at a cost of Rs.9 thousand crores before the Panchayat elections. This process is completed with the approval of the special authorities. The Sarpanchs are not able to take up new road works in Narega in two years due to allowing massive building constructions at once.
* Due to the delay in the payment of bills from the Comprehensive Financial Management System (CFMS) under the State Finance Department, even small problems are not being resolved in the Gram Panchayats due to the diversion of the funds of the Finance Committee and the works undertaken with the general funds. The situation is even worse in panchayats that do not have regular funds. They are not paying the sanitation workers properly. The sarpanchs are protesting by coming to the streets and collecting garbage from the houses, boycotting the mandal meetings but the state government is not responding.
