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CPI(M) urges Pawan Kalyan to release ₹1,121 crore of 15th Finance Commission Funds to Panchayats

CPI(M) urges Pawan Kalyan to release ₹1,121 crore of 15th Finance Commission Funds to Panchayats

The Hindu3 days ago
CPI(M) Andhra Pradesh State Secretary V. Srinivasa Rao on Wednesday (August 6) wrote a letter to Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, urging him to release ₹1,121 crore in funds allocated under the 15th Finance Commission to village panchayats.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao said that although the current coalition government released the first instalment of these funds, the second tranche amounting to ₹1,121 crores—released by the Centre over six months ago—has not yet been disbursed, causing distress among local bodies.
The other demands include hike in the honorarium of sarpanches from ₹3,000 to ₹10,000 as per the coalition government's election manifesto, prompt processing and clearance of panchayat bills by issuing directions to panchayat secretaries, full devolution of 29 subjects to panchayats as mandated by the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, provision of accident insurance coverage up to ₹20 lakh for sarpanches who die while discharging their duties, special funds for development of villages and tribal hamlets in Scheduled Areas, entrusting village panchayats with supervision of the MGNREGS.
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