The state government would take a decision regarding waiving Rs 2,684 crore dues to various ESCOMS from over 5,600 gram panchayats after consulting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, said Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil.
Replying to a call attention moved by Kota Srinivasa Pujari in the state Legislative Council on travails of panchayat raj institutions in the state on Thursday, Patil admitted out of Rs 8 lakh grant being given to each gram panchayat, 60 percent of the money goes towards the electricity charges and the rest towards salary of employees. . “As many as 2,435 posts of Panchayat Development Officers, 748 posts of secretaries and 1,910 posts of village assistants have been lying vacant for many years. Most of the gram panchayats do not have PDOs or secretaries. Steps would be taken to address this problem,” he added.
He admitted that the Panchayat Parishat established 19 years ago has hardly met twice. “Since it is a statutory body created to discuss problems of panchayat raj institutions it would be revived within a month and meetings shall be held periodically,” he said. The CM is the president while RDPR Minister is the vice-president of this parishat.
He also appealed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who was present in the Legislative Council, to attend the gram sabhas whenever possible to strengthen the panchayat raj institution. Earlier, Pujari explained how the panchayat raj institutions have become defunct due to various problems of presidents, vice-presidents and members of zilla, taluk and gram panchayats.