Vijayawada: Sarpanches to stage protest from May 1

Vijayawada : The State executive body of the Andhra Pradesh Sarpanches Welfare Association demanded the transfer of funds of the 15th Finance Commission and the 5th State Finance Commission into the PFMS accounts of village panchayats immediately.

The state executive body met its president Chilakalapudi Papa Rao and unanimously passed various resolutions on Thursday.

Earlier, the executive body members met Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Panchayat Raj Budi Mutyala Naidu at his camp office on Thursday and submitted a copy of the resolutions passed by them in the meeting.

Addressing the media, Chilakalapudi Papa Rao said that the sarpanches should submit the copy of resolutions to their respective district collectors during the Spandana programme on Monday.

He said every sarpanch should wear a black badge and stage protest demonstrations from Monday to May 7. They should submit a copy of the resolutions to every Minister, MLA, MP, MLC, and ZP Chairman whoever they meet.

Papa Rao said that sarpanches will stage a hunger strike near Collectorates on May 8. The Sarpanches association president demanded the Chief Minister provide an appointment to reel out their grievances and find a solution to them. He also demanded a state-level meeting of the sarpanches irrespective of the party affiliations to find a solution to their problems.

Akhila Bharat Panchayat Parishad national vice-president Dr Jasti Veeranjaneyulu, sarpanches association general secretary Allu Vijay Kumar (Kakinada), vice-presidents Kolukuluri Dharma Raju (West Godavari), Shaik Allabakshu (Palnadu), Treasurer Vari Sridevi (NTR district), Vuyyuri Appi Reddy, T Krishna Mohan, Tadikonda sarpanch Tokala Sarojani, Mabbu Sirisha, Durgamma, Ashok Kumar, Akkala Srinivasa Reddy, Devarakonda Ramu, Naresh, Brahma Reddy, Bujji Bbau, Anitha, Subba Rao, and others participated.