Panchayats sanctioning powers go up to 5 lakhs 

Ongole: The Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department has issued GO MS No 62 dated 31-05-2018 to enhance the administrative sanction powers of all sarpanches in the state from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for taking up civil development works within their panchayats.

Up to now, the sarpanches of major panchayats can giver administrative sanctions for civil works up to Rs 2 lakh while the minor panchayats can sanction works up to Rs 1 lakh openly.

The GO said that Pamidi Venkatarao, president of the Andhra Pradesh State Sarpanches Association, in his representation submitted on October 25, 2017, had requested the government to enhance the administrative sanction powers of sarpanches. After careful examination, the government has ordered that all panchayats can accord administrative sanctions to civil works up to Rs 5 lakh.

The divisional panchayat officers can give administrative sanctions for works between Rs 5 to 10 lakh and for any work above the Rs 10 lakh, the District Collector should accord the sanctions, the GO said. The government ordered the panchayats to prioritise the works by calling for the gram sabhas and approve annual budgets. It also warned the panchayats not to take up works over and above their financial viability.

Speaking to The Hans India in Ongole, Pamidi Venkatrao, thanked the Minister for Panchayat Raj and Information Technology Nara Lokesh Babu and Principal Secretary of the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department Dr KS Jawahar Reddy for accepting the request from the association and releasing the orders enhancing the administrative sanction powers of sarpanches.