Guntur: Sarpanches’ bid to lay siege to PR Commissioner office foiled

Guntur: Police arrested 200 sarpanches, who tried to lay siege to Panchayat Raj Commissioner’s office at Tadepalli on Monday, to mount pressure on the government to solve their problems and to press the demand to release the 15th Finance Commission funds of Rs 691 crore to the panchayats immediately.

Police dragged the sarpanches on the road and shifted them to Pedakakani police station.

AP Gram Panchayat Sarpanches Sankshema Sangam president Chilakalapati Papa Rao led the protests. Speaking on this occasion, he demanded that the government release 15th Finance Commission funds immediately. He criticised that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is not releasing funds to the gram panchayats. He warned that the voters will teach a lesson to the YSRCP in the coming elections. He said it is not correct for the government to insult the sarpanches.

Papa Rao alleged that though the Central government had released the Finance Commission funds one week ago, the State government so far has not released the same to the panchayats. He said they would chalk out their future course of action to mount pressure on the State government to release the funds.

Later, some of the sarpanches met Panchayat Raj Commissioner A Surya Kumari and submitted a memorandum. She assured the sarpanches that the government will release the 15th Finance Commission grants to gram panchayats within a week.

Later, speaking to the media, Chilakalapudi Papa Rao said Commissioner Surya Kumari assured that the government will deduct the power bills dues and release the 15th Finance Commission funds.

All India Panchayat Parishad national vice-president Dr Jasti Veeranjaneyulu, state secretaries Allu Vijaya Kumar, T Krishna Mohan and others participated in the protest.