Arrangements in full swing for new Zilla Parishads

Khammam: The district officials are making arrangements for the division of Zilla Parishads. If the new ZPs are formed, as per the new Panchayat Raj Act recently brought by the State government, then the chairman, vice-chairman along with ZPTCs, MPPs and vice-MPPs would be elected. 

The present joint Khammam Zilla Parishad will be split into two Praja Parishads. Currently, there are 41 ZPTC members and two co-option members. If the new ZPs are formed, the number of public representatives will increase. The term of the present governing body ends on July 5 this year and the government is planning to set up new Zilla Parishads and conduct the elections as soon as possible. 

The Zilla Parishad works under the supervision of the Chief Executive Officer. Those who are promoted in Panchayat Raj department will work as CEOs for ZPs. Due to lack of promotions in the last several years, the officers from revenue and other government departments were appointed as CEOs. Many a times employees across the State have been protested against this. Recently, the government has promoted MPDOs as deputy CEOs and they are likely to be assigned the newly-formed Zilla Parishads.

The new Panchayat Raj Act has been designed to strengthen the Telangana rural system. According to the new law, the reservation for the ZP chairperson, ZPTC, MPP and MPTCs will last for a period of 10 years. Earlier, the reservations were only five years, but now it has been enhanced to 10 years.

With this, the government feels that that 10 year reservation will enable the administration to go smoothly and help take up development programmes on a large scale. With term of the governing body is going to end in another five to six months, the government is in the process of completing the formation of new Zilla Parishads. Activities related to this are going on in the district.