Sarpanches demand solution to their 16 demands

Srikakulam: AP Panchayat Raj Chamber president Y B Rajendra Prasad eroded the powers of elected bodies in villages and disempowered sarpanches by introducing village volunteer system and secretariats.

He visited the sarpanches here on Thursday who have been demanding the state government to solve their 16 just demands. The sarpanches alleged that the government is not willing and committed to protect constitutionally recognised sarpanches and local bodies. In the last four years, the state government diverted 14 and 15 Finance Commissions funds of the local bodies adversely affecting 12,918 village panchayats across the state, they said.

As a result, village panchayats are unable to provide safe drinking water, sanitation, facing difficulties in maintaining drains and street lights, the sarpanches association leaders said. Village volunteers and secretariat staff are dominating the local bodies at village level which is unfortunate, they said.