New Zilla Parishads still starved of funds; works hit

Hyderabad: Even three weeks after their inauguration, the new Zilla Parishads still did not receive funds to begin their activities and to support the programmes to be taken up.

The 23 newly formed ZPs did not get any funds from the government or from the old nine ZPs out of which they have been carved out. The chief executive officers have their fingers crossed on the funds issue.

The State government formed 23 new ZPs from the old nine Zilla Parishads as part of delimitation of the local bodies. On the average three to four ZPs have been carved out of the old nine ZPs.

For example, old Nalgonda ZP has been divided into three new ZPs, Nalgonda, Suryapet and Bhongir. The Karimnagar ZP has been divided into Karimnagar, Jagityal, Sircilla and Peddapalli.

It may be recalled here that the State had divided the old nine revenue districts into 32 new revenue districts two years ago for effective administration.

Accordingly, these districts have to be provided with ZPs and the activity has been completed in the first week of this month.

According to rules, the new ZPs would get funds from the parent ZPs through per capita grants. The new ZPs would be given funds as per their population. The per capita grants have been given by the State government.

The CEOs of the new ZPs have written letters to the parent ZPs to sanction funds from the per capita grants. According to officials about Rs 16 lakh to Rs 20 lakh have to be released to each of the new ZPs.

The funds would be used to carry out the activities of the ZPs like paying wages to temporary staff, maintenance of office building and vehicles. The salaries of the officials and permanent staff would be borne by the government.

Apart from the funds issue, the ZPs are grappling with the problem of staff and division of files. The staff has been allotted on order and some of the employees are yet to resume their duties in the new ZPs.

New Zilla Parishads have to be given the information on the programmes being implemented and the works being taken up in their areas during the old ZPs regime. The files of the concerned works have to be transferred to the new ZPs.

The old ZP officials have been told to scan the files and give copies to the new ZPs and the work is continuing rather slowly. With this the officials of the new ZPs are unable to take any decision.