Latest news with #PallePanduga
Hans India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Sarpanches seek immediate release of MNREGS, 15th Financec Panel funds
Tadepalli: Sarpanches across Andhra Pradesh are calling for the immediate resolution of their financial woes, urging the State government to secure the release of pending funds from the Central government. Chilakalapudi Paparao, president of the Andhra Pradesh Sarpanches Welfare Association and chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Agnikula Kshatriya Welfare and Development Corporation, along with Dr Jasti Veeranjaneyulu, national vice-president of the All India Panchayat Parishad (New Delhi), met with M Sivaprasad, additional commissioner of the Rural Development, on Friday at the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department office here. During the meeting, they highlighted the numerous challenges faced by sarpanches in villages due to a severe shortage of funds. They specifically appealed for the immediate release of Rs 2,000 crore in MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) funds owed by the Central government to local bodies. They urged discussions with Union Ministries to ensure these funds are credited to the State within 10 days. Furthermore, they pressed for the speedy release of Rs 989 crore from the 15 th Finance Commission, which was sent by the Central government three months ago but is yet to be disbursed to the panchayats. The delegation brought to the attention of the Additional Commissioner the significant mental distress among sarpanches, who are struggling to pay for works undertaken during the 'Palle Panduga' (Village Festival) and other development programmes, initiated under the directives of Deputy Chief Minister and Panchayat Raj Minister Pawan Kalyan. They also handed over a copy of recent orders from the Central government. A key request made was for directives to be issued such that gram panchayats directly pay contractors for material supplies, rather than the Mandal Parishad Development Officers (MPDOs). In response, the Additional Commissioner stated that Commissioner Krishna Teja and Special Chief Secretary Shashibhushan Kumar were actively working towards the release of the MGNREGS funds. He assured that the funds would be released soon.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan moots ‘war room' for monitoring drinking water supply
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Panchayat Raj & Rural Development (PR&RD) K. Pawan Kalyan has instructed officials to set up 'drinking water war rooms' in the Rural Water Supply (RWS) Department head office and the Collectorates to constantly monitor the water supply situation and solve the problems in the least possible time. Addressing a meeting of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) workers organised by the PR&RD Department on the occasion of May Day, near Mangalagiri, in Guntur district on Thursday, Mr. Pawan Kalyan emphasised the need to link agriculture with the scheme, while pointing out that it required a recommendation by the 16th Finance Commission, and that the State government would talk to the Centre about the proposal. He said the funds given to the PR&RD Department under the MGNREGS were like oxygen, and a host of development works were being taken up with the money, and top priority had been given to provision of safe drinking water under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). Mr. Pawan Kalyan said the State government submitted proposals worth ₹87,000 crore to the Centre for various projects under the JJM, and approvals were received for about ₹29,000 crore, which had to be utilised till 2028. 'More funds are needed for rolling out the mission, but the State has to wait for the Centre to overcome its constraints in order to fund the schemes in Andhra Pradesh,' he said. Further, Mr. Pawan Kalyan said the government was working out ways to involve youth in the MGNREGS works so that they could earn, and in the process be helpful in creating assets for the State. He said the MGNREGS workers were indispensable for the development of the nation. Therefore, the State government gave due priority to their welfare and it could increase the daily wage by scrupulously conducting social audits. The occupation of every person in society, be it a doctor, a scientist, or a worker who does physical work for a living should be respected as per the fundamental principle of 'dignity of labour' A sum of ₹10,600 crore was spent on MGNREGS in the State the previous year, including ₹6,190 crore on wages. A host of development works were being executed as part of the 'Palle Panduga', he added. Principal Secretary (PR&RD) Shashibhushan Kumar, Commissioner M.V.R.K. Teja and Director (MGNREGS) Shanmukh Kumar were among those present.
