Enhancing power of BDOs assault on Panchayati Raj system, claims BJD

Bhubaneswar, Sep 11 (PTI) A day after Odisha Cabinet approved a proposal to enhance the financial power of Block Development Officers (BDOs), the opposition BJD Thursday called it an “assault” on the three-tier Panchayati Raj system and threatened to launch an agitation demanding withdrawal of the decision.

The state Cabinet on Wednesday approved amendments in the Odisha Panchayat Samiti Accounting Procedure Rules, 2002, where the financial power of BDOs has been enhanced, leading to curtailing the authorities of the elected representatives of the panchayat samitis, most of which are controlled by the opposition BJD.

“This BJP government took this decision as a majority of the elected block chairpersons are from the BJD. It has now handed over all powers to BDOs to fulfill its political agenda and financial greed,” senior BJD MLA and former panchayati raj minister Arun Sahoo told reporters here.

He alleged that it was a clear act of hijacking the power of Panchayati Raj institutions in the state and weakening the system.

Under the Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha scheme during the BJD government, works were approved at Gram Sabhas, Panchayat Samitis, and Zilla Parishad levels and later accepted by the government, Sahoo said.

“However, the present BJP government has done away with this practice and introduced ‘Bikashita Gaon, Bikashita Odisha’ scheme, giving the approval power to the collectors, thereby reducing the role of the elected representatives,” he alleged.

The BJD leader said after the amendment of the Odisha Panchayat Samiti Accounting Procedure Rules, 2002, there will be no requirement for countersignature of the chairpersons of the block-level local bodies for approval of projects ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. Earlier, the BDOs were empowered to approve projects within Rs 2 lakh.

He said most of the projects approved in the gram panchayat and block levels amount to within Rs 10 lakh. Therefore, the BDOs will decide on all the projects, while the elected panchayat members will have no authority over the projects.

The BJD leader said assault on democratic structure often led to resentment and revolt among people.

“A massive statewide agitation will be built across Odisha if the Mohan Majhi government does not roll back its decision to enhance the financial powers of officers for both technical sanction and administrative approval of developmental works at the panchayat samiti level,” he said.

BJD vice-president Pratap Jena alleged that the state’s BJP government has made this provision so that party leaders can collect commission from the work being done in the panchayat level by manipulating the BDOs and putting pressure on them. PTI AAM NN