Srikakulam: Centre stops funds to Panchayats

Srikakulam: Gram Panchayats in the district are facing severe fund crunch and they are unable to meet even day to day expenditure. The Panchayats are not paying power bills.

There are 1,141 Gram Panchayats in the district and term of elected bodies came to an end on August 2 last year. Since then all Panchayats are administered by Special Officers.

But the officers are not evincing interest day-to-day activities of the Panchayats. The Special Officers have entrusted the administration to the Secretaries. In the absence of elected bodies, the Central government has stopped giving funds under 14th Finance Commission.

Officials said Central funds to the tune of Rs 112 crore are pending. In the absence of funds, contractors are not coming forward to take up roads and drainage works. Due to funds crunch, basic works like water supply, repair of roads, drainage, sanitary works have been affected in all villages. Salaries are not paid to sanitary workers punctually.

The Centre also stopped funds allotment under Mahatma Gandhi Natioanal Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). As a result, roads and canal works are affected badly in village level. The panchayats have funds only to meet emergency requirements, said District Panchayat Officer V RavuKumar.