Congress dharna against delay in release of funds to panchayats

Hyderabad: Representatives of the Telangana PCC on Monday staged a protest against the delay in release of funds by the State government to gram panchayats. Addressing the party activists at Dharna Chowk TPCC president A Revanth Reddy said sarpanches across the State were facing hardships in executing different works due to lack of funds in respective panchayats.

He charged that the government had diverted Rs 35,000-crore funds pertaining to panchayats in the State for taking up other works. "After coming to power, the Congress will repeal all the ineffective laws and enact a law to prohibiting diversion of funds meant for panchayats" Reddy said.

MLC Jeevan Reddy said after the Congress would be elected to power, laws would be enacted making the State government to bear the streetlights bills, tractors EMI payments, besides strengthening the panchayats.

Former Minister Mohd Shabbir Ali and other leaders also spoke. Later in the day, the TPCC president along with other Congress leaders met DGP Anjani Kumar and demanded stern action against the 12 Congress MLAs, who had joined the BRS (the then TRS) after winning the elections on Congress tickets.