BHUBANESWAR: Hundreds of sarpanchs from across the state on Friday staged a mass demonstration on Mahatma Gandhi Marg here seeking fulfilment of their various demands including pay hike and measures to check excessive interference of government officials at block level in implementation of village and panchayat development works.
The agitators, united under the banner of Sarpanch Mahasangh, alleged despite working for people in their community round-the-clock without any leave, they are being paid a meagre Rs 2,300. The sarpanchs also alleged most of the government projects are being implemented at the grassroots by block level officials without their knowledge and their power and rights are being curtailed.
“What is the use of a being a sarpanch if we are kept in dark about the projects implemented in our own panchayats. Why are we working at grassroots then?” questioned a lady sarpanch from Keonjhar Sarpanchs’ Group.
“Our work has been reduced mostly to signing on Aadhar papers and resolving local disputes,” she alleged.
The sarpanchs’ body threatened if their demands are not met they will tender mass resignation and sit on indefinite strike.