Vijayawada: Sarpanches demand return of FC funds
Panchayat Raj Chamber president Y V B Rajendra Prasad, Sarpanches’ Sangam state president Vanapalli Lakshmi and others display their unity at a meeting in Vijayawada on Friday
Vijayawada : In a warning to the state government, the AP Sarpanches Sangam and Panchayat Raj Chamber said that they will intensify the protest if their demands were not addressed immediately. Seeking resolving the demands, the state committee meeting of sarpanches was held at Balotsav Bhavan here on Friday. Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Chamber president Y V B Rajendra Prasada and Sarpanches Sangam state president Vanapalli Lakshmi presided over the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion, Rajendra Prasad said that the government had not responded so far despite many protests being staged by the sarpanches across the state irrespective of political affiliations for the past three years demanding solution to their 11 long-pending demands.
Owing to the government’s apathy, more than 3.50 crore rural population in 12,918 villages have been suffering due to lack of necessary amenities. He alleged that the state government had stolen Rs 8,629 crore of the 14th and 15th Finance Commission funds which were allocated for the development of villages by diverting them to other purposes.
Even though the Central government had given notices over this diversion to the state government and stopped Rs 936 crore from 2022-23 and Rs 2,031 crore from 2023-24 financial years, the state government had not responded to it. “It is shameful on the part of the state government. It must return the stolen funds to the sarpanches and also bring the Rs 2,031 crore which was allocated afresh by the Centre. If the government does not do so, we will intensify the protest across the state,” he warned.
AP Sarpanches Sangam state president Vanapalli Lakshmi demanded the government to provide Rs 15,000 honorarium per month to the sarpanches and mandal parishad presidents. She also sought hand over of the MGNREGS works to the sarpanches besides bringing village volunteers and secretariats under the control of gram panchayats.
AP Panchayat Raj Chamber general secretary B Prathap Reddy, Sarpanches Sangam general secretary Pagadala Ramesh and members of all 26 district sarpanches’ committees attended the meeting.