TS sarpanches demand Rs. 20,000 as pay packet

TS sarpanches demand Rs. 20,000 as pay packet
x
Highlights

TS sarpanches demand Rs. 20,000 as pay packet, Members of Telangana Panchayat Sarpanches Association are up in arms against the state government for the raw deal they have met so far.

Hyderabad: Members of Telangana Panchayat Sarpanches Association are up in arms against the state government for the raw deal they have met so far.

The 8,600-odd sarpanches are planning to organise a ‘Chalo Assembly’ and also launch a fast-unto-death, to fulfill their demands related to devolution of powers and funds to Panchayats as mandated by the 73rd Constitutional amendment and to hike their honorarium to Rs. 20,000 per month from the present Rs. 600 per month.

While Sarpanches of minor panchayats get Rs 600 as honorarium, sarpanches of major panchayats get only Rs. 1,000. Significantly, the Sarpanches association managed to get the support of few MLAs like NVSS Prabhakar (BJP) and BC leader R. Krishnaiah (Telugu Desam).

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) spokesperson Vakulabharanam Krishnamohan Rao and Vimalakka of Arunodaya movement addressed the people and pledged their support to the sarpanches. Rao promised to convey their demands to the CLP leader, so that they can be raised in the Assembly.


Close to 200 sarpanches from various districts of Telangana gathered at the Somajiguda Press Club to discuss their plight and muster support of MLAs, cutting across party lines.

NVSS Prabhakar demanded the government to pay travel allowance and DA to sarpanches for all their visits to the state capital to resolve problems of their panchayats.

BC association leader and LB Nagar MLA, R. Krishnaiah backed the demand of sarpanches to hike their honoraria to Rs 20,000 per month, calling it a “fair demand”. He promised the sarpanches that he will raise their demands in the ensuing Budget session of the state Assembly. Vimalakka came down heavily on the state government for keeping sarpanches outside the purview of ‘Operation Kakatiya,’ launched by the Telanagana government. She demanded conduct of public hearings on the number and status of tanks in each panchayat and take the opinion of people.

“Only then, the government can award contracts to big contractors. But it cannot ignore sarpanches, who are responsible for the well-being of villages in all respects”. Soudhani Bhoomanna Yadav, founder-president of the Association read out the demands to be put before the Government, which included – immediate payment of Rs. 7 lakh for minor panchayats and Rs. 11 lakh to bigger ones, where the sarpanches were elected unanimously.

Show Full Article
Print Article
Next Story
More Stories
ADVERTISEMENT