Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao stated on Wednesday that state government would be very liberal in devolving and delegating powers and funds to the gram panchayats.
He warned the sarpanches and panchayat secretaries, elected in the recent polls, of stringent action if funds are misused or they are negligent in discharging their duties.
He cautioned that sarpanches and secretaries would be suspended under the provisions of the new Panchayat Raj Act if they are found indulging in irregularities.
Mr Rao was speaking at an interactive session at Pragathi Bhavan on Wednesday with resource persons who will be training the sarpanches and village secretaries.
He said that since activities like supply of drinking water and power and laying of roads, which are important to the village, are being handled by state government, the panchayats should concentrate on cleanliness, sanitation, greenery, construction of crematoriums.
He told participants of the session that the required funds and responsibilities will be allotted to village panchayats.
The chief minister said resource persons should provide the necessary understanding and awareness to sarpanches to work with dedication and commitment for the development of villages and help them become change agents.
He said, “Taxes are to be collected cent percent. Action will be initiated against secretaries for not collecting taxes. Sarpanches are to essentially stay in the villages and mingle with locals.”
He peppered his long speech with Telugu poems, contextualizing the subject and explaining the meaning.
He explained the village panchayat act, roles and responsibilities and duties of village panchayat, ways and means to mobilize funds, methodology to spend, ethics of peoples’ representatives and responsibilities of resource persons.
Mr Rao told them that, “The rural population accounts for 2.2 crores in the state. Through the 14th Finance Commission recommendations for the development of villages in our state the Centre gives '1,628 crore. Our state finance commission adds another '1,628 crore to this. At the per capita rate of '1,611 every year, the total amount accounts for '3,256 crore.”
