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| Truth of J&K's Panchayati Raj VLWs operating bank accounts, Sarpanchs turned into 'rubber stamps' | | |
Early Times Report
srinagar, Jan 15: Amid enhanced security threat, attacks and killings of panchs and sarpanchs, what may have fuelled their current resignation spree is the non-devolution of powers to the elected grass root representatives by the State Government. Despite instructions for transferring powers to panchayats by the State Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) have allegedly been restricted to a rubber-stamp status by the functionaries of the State Rural Development Department, after denying them the rights to execute and monitor various developmental schemes. Panchs and Sarpanchs from various parts of the State have accused the department of withholding the financial disbursement powers vested by the law in them, in case of various Centrally Sponsored Schemes including Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
A group of Panchs and Sarpanchs told ET that they are merely being asked to put signatures on papers without introducing them as joint signatories to the bank accounts under these schemes. "As per rule the banks accounts have to be operated by Sarpanch and Village Level Worker (VLW) /Panchayat Secretary of the concerned halqa, however, the accounts are operated by BDOs and Secretary Panchayat without taking the panchayat members into confidence. It is better for us to resign as there is no use continuing as panchayat members and risking our lives", the group members said.
"To keep the funds under Centrally Sponsored Schemes like NREGA in a joint bank account of Panchayat Secretary and concerned Sarpanch is mandatory under the Central guidelines of such schemes and while disbursing any amount from this account, both account holders' signatures are mandatory", officials in the department confirmed. However, contrary to it, the funds are being kept in the account of Secretary Panchayat and Block Development Officer, the panchayat members claimed.
Even the guidelines issued by the State Government on executing such schemes have rendered the Panchs and Sarpanchs powerless by not vesting the financial powers in the grass root institutions of governance. The guidelines issued by the department of rural development vide order No. 238-RD of 2012 dated 4/6/2012 put the onus of executing works, procurement or vouchers and making payments on material purchases under MGNREGS on the VLWs, thus giving the Sarpanchs status of nothing more than watchmen of the works. Rasheed Ahmad a Sarpanch from Sopore in north Kashmir, where the recent attacks occurred, said that they are being ignored in planning and distribution of MGNREGS works. "Rural engineering wing in the department devises works plans and the signatures of the concerned Panchs and Sarpanchs are taken on papers but when it comes to payments under MGNREGS the amount is being deposited to Secretary Panchayat's account without even getting feedback on the works from panchs and sarpanchs", said Dar adding "the VLWs have become bosses of halqa panchayat committees and don't give a damn to the Sarpanchs views or instructions".
Another Sarpanch from the area said that despite tall promises from the Chief Minister for the empowerment of the Panchayats, not a step was taken for it and no Halqa Development Fund or Ward Development Fund was provided to them despite repeated appeals. "Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Ali Mohammad Sagar had assured at various occasions that PRI's will be empowered but contrary to it, we have been denied all the rights and powers", he said adding "If the rural department is itself denying the rights and powers of PRI's what could be expected from rest of the 14 departments where panchayat empowerment has been announced by the Government". |
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