Chhattisgarh Governor summons meeting to review government’s notification on upgrading gram panchayats in Scheduled Areas

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Governor has summoned a review meeting of the senior officials to scrutinise the decision of the Congress-led government's notification to upgrade the gram panchayats of Scheduled (tribal) Areas into nagar panchayat.

According to the notification the Marwahi nagar panchayat will come into existence by incorporating the gram panchayats of Marwahi, Lohari and Kumhari.

The meeting called by the Governor Anusuiya Uike at Rajbhawan on September 29 will look into the specification and statutory condition in the context of the notification issued by Bhupesh Baghel government.

Principal secretary (Panchayat & Rural Development), secretary (Urban Administration) and secretary (Tribal Welfare) have been asked by the Rajbhawan to attend the meeting.  

Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi was created as the 28th district of Chhattisgarh in February this year. The new district has 166 gram panchayats and two nagar panchayats.

While the political observers felt that it remains to be seen if any discord emerges between the Rajbhawan and the state government, the oppositions nevertheless depicted the decision on creating Marwahi nagar panchayat been taken keeping the by-pols in mind.

“What the Governor is doing is well within her constitutional authority. And after the meeting on September 29 the things would become crystal clear. Apparently, the ruling party has taken the decision on Marwahi keeping an eye on by-elections”, said Dharamlal Kaushik, the leader of opposition.

However the state revenue minister Jaisingh Agrawal asserted that the choices made by the government are usually meant to acknowledge the aspirations of the local population.

“I don’t think there would be any controversy over giving Marwahi the status of nagar panchayat. In districts with the Scheduled Areas too, there are nagar panchayats and municipalities”, the minister claimed.

Senior BJP leader and former minister Brjmohan Agrawal cited that there should have been Gram sabha organised and consultation with the Governor before taking such decision in the Scheduled Areas.

After the demise of former chief minister Ajit Jogi on May 29 this year, the by-poll in the Marwahi Assembly constituency is likely to held later this year.

The chief minister took yet another decision previous week to provide the status of municipal council to the two nagar panchayats of Gurela and Pendra.

Tribal body ‘Chhattisgarh Sarv Adivasi Samaj’ welcomed the decision of the Governor.