PNS|Ongole
President of the BJP State unit, Daggubati Purandeswari, has attributed the suicides of several sarpanches to the Jagan government.
In a statement, she demanded the release of funds earmarked for village panchayats.
A joint demonstration, named the ‘Maha Dharna’, was organised by the BJP and Jana Sena parties in front of the Collector’s office on Thursday. While addressing the assembled crowd, Purandeswari said that the gram panchayat system was a constitutional establishment. However, she alleged that the YSRCP-led government was undermining the panchayat system in the State by withholding their financial resources and rights.
Purandeswari stated, “The act of seizing funds from village panchayats by the government has pushed certain sarpanches to take their own lives. Notably, Badam Dhanalakshmi, a village Sarpanch from Darshi, and Venkateswarlu from Vizainagarm district, have ended their lives due to this.” She went on to demand a response from the Chief Minister regarding this dire issue.
The sarpanches had been utilising their personal finances to carry out vital developmental initiatives within their communities. Due to the non-release of government funds, these Sarpanches, already burdened with debt, found themselves resorting to such drastic measures, she criticised.
“The administration under Jagan Mohan Reddy’s leadership has diverted the funds intended for panchayat raj, funds that were granted by the Central government for developmental projects. These funds should rightfully be allocated to the designated accounts of Sarpanches. Despite the allocation of funds by the Central government, the state administration is withholding them from the panchayat sarpanches,” she expressed with disappointment. This, she emphasized, was severely impeding the progress of developmental activities in various villages.
Purandeswari pledged the collective efforts of the BJP and its ally, the Jana Sena party, to confront the injustices being inflicted upon village panchayats by the state administration. “The state’s actions have effectively rendered village Sarpanches powerless by depriving them of their financial resources,” she lamented.
Highlighting the significance of rural areas and villages, which constitute the backbone of the nation and accommodate 80% of the population, she reminded that the constitution had established the village panchayat system with the purpose of providing fundamental amenities. Regrettably, she accused the government of undermining the very institution of panchayat raj.
Purandeswari further disclosed that the Andhra Pradesh government had allocated a sum of Rs 8,629 crore from the MGNREGA funds for the establishment of village secretariats and RBKs. She insisted that the funds recommended by the Finance Commission should be promptly transferred to village panchayat bank accounts. Additionally, she advocated for incentives to be granted to Sarpanches elected unanimously.
Furthermore, she demanded that village volunteers and secretariat secretaries operate under the guidance of the panchayats.
State spokesperson Lanka Dinakar, district president PV Siva Reddy, and former MLA Dara Sambaiah, also delivered their remarks during the event.
