Kurnool: Nara Lokesh promises to restore powers to sarpanches

Kurnool : TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh has assured the sarpanches that soon after the party comes to power, they will set up a water grid and supply safe drinking water round-the-clock to villagers. Interacting with the representatives of Panchayat Raj department organised on 'Palle Pragathi Kosam Me Lokesh' programme conducted on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day at Pedda Tumbalam cross in Adoni division on Monday, Lokesh said they will develop the villages on par with towns and create all amenities and facilities in the villages. The secretariat and volunteer system would be integrated with the panchayat raj department.

Besides, giving honorarium to the sarpanches, we will ensure the sarpanches get due respect. Lokesh said that the funds received from the Central government would be directly diverted to panchayats.

He further said that they will integrate the rivers to cater the drinking and irrigation water needs. As a minister, Lokesh said that he had set up 35 lakh streetlights, laid 25,000 kilometers of concrete cement roads besides developing role model villages, school compound walls and NTR Sujala Sravanthi.

In the present government, the sarpanches do not have any power and they are least respected. They neither have tasks and funds to do.

Lokesh assured that they will develop the villages on par with towns and will restore the fiber grid to give internet connection to every household. He further said that they will specially concentrate on major panchayats. Earlier the state would give 90 percent funds to minor panchayats, said Lokesh.

He said development was only possible when all MLAs, sarpanches, village and ward secretariats work together. But the YSRCP government is not providing any work to sarpanches. Lokesh said the state government has emptied the panchayat raj department funds. But we won't do like that and the funds would be directly diverted into the account of panchayat raj department, assured Lokesh.