In poll year, Haryana CM announces sops for sarpanches

Chandigarh, Jul 2 (PTI) With Assembly polls scheduled to be held later this year, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday made several announcements for village sarpanches and also hiked honorarium for sanitation workers in rural and urban areas.

Saini said the sarpanches can now undertake development works up to Rs 21 lakh in their gram panchayats without e-tendering. Previously, this limit was Rs 5 lakh.

Additionally, the chief minister announced that sarpanches can now claim travel expenses at a rate of Rs 16 per kilometer when using their car or taxi for gram panchayat work.

He made these announcements while addressing panchayat representatives from across the state at the Panchayati Raj and Sarpanch Sammelan in Kurukshetra, according to an official statement.

Last year, several village sarpanches had protested against the government's e-tendering policy.

On the occasion, Saini also announced an increase in the monthly honorarium of safai karamcharis (sanitation workers) in rural and urban areas by Rs 1,000.

In light of government programmes to be held in villages, Chief Minister Saini also announced that the post of sarpanch will now be included in the protocol list. A sarpanch will sit with the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police during such events, the statement said.

In another move, Saini said that the fee for lawyers at the district or sub-division level will be raised from Rs 1,100 to Rs 5,500, and the fee for cases in the high court and the Supreme Court increased from Rs 5,500 to Rs 33,000.

Addressing the issue faced by gram panchayats regarding the cost of soil filling, the chief minister announced that once the gram panchayat passes and sends the resolution for soil filling, this cost will now be included in the work estimate.

Previously, the cost of soil filling was not included in the work estimate, requiring the filling work to be done either through the scheme under MGNREGA or at the village's own expense.

Saini also announced an increase in the expenditure limit from the Panchayat Fund for events organized by the gram panchayats.

The limit for Independence Day and Republic Day events, as well as programmes organized for the visit of any special officer or minister, will be increased from Rs 3,000 to Rs 30,000. Similarly, the limit for expenses related to purchasing the national flag, distributing sweets on national festivals, and publicizing panchayat activities will be increased from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000.

Emphasising the importance of village governance in a democracy, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target of making India a developed nation by 2047.

To achieve this goal, it is crucial for every village to be developed, he said.

Saini assured that the state government will ensure there is no shortage of funds to accelerate pace of development in the villages, the statement said. PTI SUN KVK KVK