"Though officials say we are getting funds, the money is not being credited into our account. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao assured that he would issue grants of Rs 15 lakh for unanimous local body elections, but even that was not given. Moreover, I'm not even getting my honorarium for six months, so I have started working as a security guard in a private apartment," says Irusu Mallesh, the sarpanch of Arepally village in Dichpally mandal in Telangana's Nizamabad district.
Arepally is a tiny village, whose population is a little over 400 individuals. Based on its population, the village is supposed to get Rs 37,000 per month from the State Finance Commission. However, Mallesh says that the village is not getting this amount and alleges that he has spent money from his pocket for the Palle Pragathi programme of the state government, due to a lack of funds.
While District Collector Narayana Reddy dismissed the allegations and said that the village has got all funds till date, it appears that the same situation prevails in several gram panchayats across the state. Reports in regional media too, stated that some village sarpanches have raised similar concerns and claimed that they are falling into a debt trap due to delay in the release of funds.
In another case from Kummarikunta village in Narayanpet mandal, Neelabai, a Dalit woman sarpanch alleges that she too faced similar problems. She says that she constructed a graveyard for the village by taking a personal loan of Rs 6 lakh, and is now forced to go for daily wage work as the state funds are not yet released. The state of Telangana has over 12,500 gram panchayats, which include over 1,100 tribal grama panchayats functioning under the state Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department.
Several sarpanches in Nagarkurnool district and Ranga Reddy district that TNM spoke to, say that a lack of funds and delay in disbursement of sanctioned money has become a hindrance to the development of their villages. Many sarpanches did not want to be identified, as they were affiliated to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and it would land them in trouble. A sarpanch from Nagarkurnool district shares, “It is difficult to carry out village development works with debt money. It is affecting our credibility and personal financial condition.”
Budidha Mallesh, sarpanch from Nagaram village in Manthani mandal in Peddapalli district, has written to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, alleging that the bills of the Palle Pragathi scheme, which were carried out in the village, are still pending with district authorities. In the letter, he said, “As there is freezing of bills pertaining to the grama panchayats and as funds are not being released, candidates who won as sarpanches with reservation for marginalised communities are especially facing difficulties and it is affecting our families.”
He alleged that negligence by contractors in setting up streetlights in villages also burdened the sarpanches. In the letter, he further urged the CM that, "Before we are financially affected even more, please lift the freezing of funds distribution to local bodies and see that the administration takes place in a fair manner.”
Speaking to TNM, Telangana Sarpanches Association president Venkatesh Yadav, who is also the sarpanch of Gangavelli in Shadnagar in Rangareddy district says, “All the 12,000 gram panchayats together are supposed to get Rs 350 crore every month but the government is not even giving us Rs 100 crore. How will this amount be sufficient for all the gram panchayats?”
He adds, “There are many sarpanches who have fallen into debt as they spent their own money to develop the village. Local MLA funds are also not being allocated. The government should immediately act on these issues before it gets late."
Venkatesh Yadav says that their association has been trying to reach out to the Chief Minister and the Commissioner of the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department to place their concerns before the authorities.
When TNM reached out to state Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department Secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania to seek a response on the allegations of sarpanches, he said that the government is disbursing the funds that are due, every month. Sandeep Kumar said, "The government is disbursing the funds to each and every gram panchayat without any delay." However, when asked why the allegations of sarpanches contradict claims of the government, he said that officials will verify complaints from specific gram panchayats.