Sarpanchs threaten pen down stir over 10-point demands in Odisha
Under the leadership of SDSS president Urgasen Kishan, more than 180 of total 279 sarpanchs in Sundargarh attended the meeting.
Published: 06th July 2023 09:50 AM | Last Updated: 06th July 2023 09:50 AM | A+A A-
For representative purposes. (Express Illustrations)
ROURKELA: Elected sarpanches owing allegiance to the Sundargarh District Sarpanch Sangh (SDSS) in its general body meeting on Wednesday held here announced to resort to pen down agitation soon if their demands are not heard by the Sundargarh district administration.
Under the leadership of SDSS president Urgasen Kishan, more than 180 of the total 279 sarpanchs in Sundargarh attended the meeting. The house among other things pressed for 10-point demands including an increment of honorarium to a sarpanch from the present Rs 2,350 to Rs 15,000 per month and pension provision and ex gratia of Rs 20 lakh for the bereaved family in the event of any sarpanch dying during his term.
They further demanded making approval of Gram Sabha mandatory for land acquisition by IDCO or any other authorities, allotment of Rs 20 lakh annually to each Gram Panchayat (GP) for development works from the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) and provision for appointment of one junior engineer (JE) and one assistant engineer to each GP and empowering each sarpanch to allot five houses during natural calamities.
SDSS advisor Gobardhan Haha said a memorandum over the 10-point demands was given to the district collector last month, adding they would shortly meet the collector with a reminder which would be followed up by a pen-down stir by the end of July if their demands get ignored.
