BHUBANESWAR: Even as the State Government delegated key roles to the sarpanch in its fight against Covid-19 pandemic, actual devolution of powers to the elected bodies at the grassroots as per the 73rd Constitutional Amendment is yet to take place. Recommendations of the ministerial committee headed by Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari on further devolution of powers to the panchayat bodies made in March 2020 have also been forgotten as the attention of the Government has been centered on containing the coronavirus pandemic.
Official sources said powers relating to 21 subjects out of 29 of 19 departments have been transferred to the panchayatiraj institutions (PRIs). However, subsequent orders issued by the executives at different levels have undermined the role of elected representatives and practically put them at the mercy of the officials at the lower levels of administration.
The Ministerial Committee had reportedly recommended that assets of primary and upper primary, aided primary, upper primary schools of the government, sub-centers under the Health and Family Welfare department and livestock aid centers should be transferred to the gram panchayats. However, the recommendation is yet to be implemented and likely to be delayed further in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The State Government decided not to empower sarpanchs to make any expenditure without the signature of the Block Development Officers (BDOs) for Covid-19 management in their areas have also come in for strong criticism. Delegation of Collector’s powers to the sarpanchs are also being questioned by the Opposition political parties as practically they cannot take any decision having financial ramifications without the approval of either the district collectors, sub-collectors or BDOs. The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has alleged that the propaganda of the State Government on devolution of power lacks seriousness as the administration at the lower level is still under the clutches of the officials.