Earlier governments ruined PR system: KCR

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has observed that the Panchayat Raj systems were ruined by the successive governments in the State and in the country by clipping their powers one by one over the years and compartmentalising their role in the administration.

The new legislation being brought by the State Government would restore the significance of gram panchayats in the administration of villages and improving the facilities for people, he said while replying the combined debate on the Telangana Panchayat Raj Bill, 2018 and the Telangana Municipal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018 in the Assembly on Thursday.

Power sharing

He stated that the erstwhile panchayat samithis at block level were more powerful than the present day rural local bodies including gram panchayats which were bestowed powers through the 73rd amendment to the Constitution (1992). He recollected how the panchayat samithis had powers to appoint teachers and pay salaries to even doctors working till that level.

The Chief Minister said the sarpanches, with all powers of gram panchayats instituted in them for all practical purposes, had no accountability so far since the State Government had no powers to act against them. Even if some action was taken, they would move the courts and get stay orders, he explained and added that the present bill has the provisions to set such anomalies right.

Budgetary allocation

Stating that most of the provisions of the present bill were there in Section 143 of the existing Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 made by the combined Andhra Pradesh Government and adopted by Telangana later, the Chief Minister said the new bill would seeks to strengthen the gram panchayats further. In addition to devolution of Finance Commission funds by the Centre, the State Government had allocated ₹1,500 crore for gram panchayats in 2018-19 budget.

The new bills on Panchayat Raj and municipal laws would give powers to State Government to upgrade their level. The State Election Commission would have to notify election dates in concurrence with the State Government, although the body would remain autonomous.

Plantation must

The bill makes it mandatory for gram panchayats to raise nursery for plantation programme and the panchayat secretary would be removed if the survival rate of plants is less than 85%.

G. Kishan Reddy (BJP), R. Krishnaiah (TDP) and S. Rajaiah (CPI-M) wanted the government to send the Panchayat Raj Bill to House Select Committee, but the Chief Minister convinced them to support the Bill as it is.

The Assembly passed the two bills with a voice vote.