Panchayat bills held up, sarpanch turns labourer for survival

She said that the State government gives Rs 40,000 per month to panchayats towards salaries, power bills and other expenses.

Representational image. (Photo | AP) 

HANAMKONDA: With the district authorities freezing the funds meant to clear the bills of Palle Pragathi scheme and Vaikuntadhamam works, Vishwanath Colony Sarpanch Vallepu Anitha Ramesh has turned into a daily wage labourer — after having taken a Rs 8-lakh loan on interest to carry out the development works in the village, to feed her family.Vishwanath Colony, a new gram panchayat that was formed three years ago in Bheemadevarapalli mandal of Hanamkonda district, is now reeling under a severe financial crunch due to the official apathy.

Vishwanath Colony Sarpanch
Anitha Ramesh works as a
NREGA labourer

Anitha, who belongs to the ruling TRS party, was elected sarpanch in 2020. Explaining her personal plight and that of her village, she said: “The bills of Palle Pragathi and Vaikuntadhamam works that were carried out in the village are still pending with the district authorities. The financial situation of our village is so pathetic that we are unable to even complete the other small works we have already started. My personal financial condition too is in bad shape.”

After the government froze the funds, the bills have not been cleared in the last two years, bringing the Palle Prakruthi Vanam and Vaikuntadhama works to a grinding halt. Anitha, who is now trying to support her family by seeking employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme, said: “I took a Rs 8-lakh loan on a monthly interest from our villagers and completed the pending Palle Prakruthi Vanam and Vaikuntadhamam works. As the administration is not clearing the bills, those who gave loan are putting pressure on me to return their money. As I don’t have any other source of income to repay the loan, I have started going for NREGA works.”

She said that the State government gives Rs 40,000 per month to panchayats towards salaries, power bills and other expenses. “We approached the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department officials, asking them to at least clear the pending bills. But there has been no response,” she said and urged the government to clear the bills at the earliest.