BELAGAVI: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Priyank Kharge on Friday said the state government will consider enhancing the remuneration of panchayat presidents and vice-presidents, within three months after the Finance Department submits its report, and once the chief minister gives his nod.
Replying to a question by BJP members Dhananjaya Sirjee and DS Arun during the Question Hour in the Legislative Council on Friday, the minister said he has heard about the demands of panchayat president and vice-president associations, and has forwarded their requests to the finance department, and will soon take a decision in this regard.
“I have forwarded their requests to the state finance department, which will soon submit its report.
I have told them not to pressurise for those demands, which might face legal hurdles, and those within the legal provision have been sent to the finance department, which has been told to submit a report within three months. Just give us time for three months, and we will enhance the remuneration,” he told the Council.
On the demand for payment as per the Kerala model, Kharge said, “The Kerala model is not possible, considering the number of panchayats here. Kerala has about 1,000 GPs, while Karnataka has over 5,500 GPs. But the demand will be communicated to the CM,” he said. When questioned about the transport and health benefits for the GPs, Kharge said there is no such proposal before the government.
The members had questioned whether the government will put an end to the demand of the GP presidents and vice-presidents seeking to enhance their remuneration.
The government also stated that it will consider the demand of the members who sought to make payment to the women garbage collectors in gram panchayats under the NREGA scheme.