Short of cash, usurped by volunteers, Andhra sarpanches get vocal against Jagan
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is facing the wrath of sarpanches (village heads) across the state. After suffering for long, the sarpanches, most of them from the ruling YSR Congress, have hit the streets, seeking badly needed funds.
All panchayats in the state are bankrupt now as the government allegedly diverted Panchayat funds to meet Jagan’s pet welfare schemes. The government has not released the 15th Finance Commission funds yet though it has received funding from the Centre, the sarpanches allege.
This lack of funds has forced the sarpanches to borrow money to meet day-to-day expenditures of villages, leading to personal crisis. The AP Sarpanches Welfare Association claims that 20 sarpanches have committed suicide due to the agony.
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On July 12, at a round table held in Vijayawada, sarpanches of all parties decided to intensify their agitation for funds and powers.
Having been elected in February 2021, they have completed only half of the term. The mood in the meeting, sponsored by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), was clearly against the government.
The grievances
The round table demanded that the Gram Sachivalayam (village secretariat) be brought under the control of the panchayat. It also urged the Center not to allow the state the divert funds from panchayats.
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On May 7, Badam Dhanalakshmi (45), the YSR Congress sarpanch of Ramachandrapuram in Prakasam district, allegedly died by suicide. Since the government had not released funds, she had to borrow money to maintain works like street lights, water supply and minor developmental works.
She took loans hoping the government would release funds. Debt and loss of face in the village allegedly forced her to take her own life, it is alleged.
Maheswar Reddy (40 and name changed), sarpanch of a panchayat of 3,500 people, in Satya Sai district, is in a financial crisis. He took loans to the tune of Rs 30 lakh for the construction of Gram Sachivayalam. When he wanted to cultivate tomatoes, he had no money.
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“I lost the crop last year. I needed just Rs 3 lakh but nobody came forward. Had I planted tomatoes this season, I would have reaped the crop now when a box of 15 kgs is selling for Rs 1,600. I would have earned a minimum of Rs 15 to 20 lakh and overcome the financial crisis,” Reddy, also from YSR Congress, told The Federal.
Sarpanches, volunteers
There are nearly 13,000 sarpanches in Andhra Pradesh and 10,536 are backed by YSRC. Another 2,100 sarpanches belong to the TDP. All are terribly upset with the way the institution of Gram Panchayat has been rendered redundant. The village administration is taken over Gram Sachivalayam, consisting of volunteers and staff.
“A democratically elected sarpanch has no place in this office and he has no role whatsoever in the implementation of welfare schemes. But he has to take care of village amenities,” this is a lament one hears from Sarpanches of YSRC and opposition TDP alike.
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The cash-starved state has stopped releasing its own funds to panchayats. And the 14th and 15th Finance Commission funds the Centre deposits in the accounts of panchayats have also been diverted by the government.
“Our own government has undermined the sarpanch post both socially and financially,” Chilakalapudi Paparao, President of the AP Sarpanches Welfare Association, said. “The sarpanch is a democratically elected functionary and his honorarium is just Rs 3,000, less than the volunteer’s Rs 5,000. The post is a matter of prestige in society without any power.
“Now, functionally, the space of sarpanch is usurped by volunteers. So, people have stopped coming to us. But they question us when they face problems. We borrow money and meet the expenditure of repair of water supply motors, replacing street lights, drainage problems, salaries of workers, etc. There is no sarpanch who is not in debt,” said Paparao, a sarpanch from Lankevani Dibba in Guntur district and also a YSR Congress leader.
Prolonged agitation
Paparao had brought the pathetic condition of sarpanches and the matter of suicides to the notice of the chief minister and panchayat raj minister. “There was no response from the government. Sarpanches have been agitating for the release of funds. They demonstrated with half-shaven heads. They even resorted to begging to generate funds for the village. Instead of talking to them, the government has arrested them by foisting cases. Volunteers appear to be appointed only to hijack the system from Panchayat,” Paparao said.
Annapureddy Subbamma, a TDP sarpanch from Nadyala district, said she had no work to do as a Sarpanch. “When ruling party sarpanches face insults, who cares about a TDP sarpanch?” she asked.
On October 2, 2019, coinciding with the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, chief minister Jagan introduced a system Gram Sachivayalam (village secretariat) and ward volunteers. Volunteers are appointed at the rate of one for 50 households to ensure the implementation of welfare schemes.
According to the government website, there are 2,53,710 volunteers in the state. While the government says it is a revolutionary step that carries welfare to the doorsteps of the people, the Telugu Desam Party alleges that these volunteers are working like YSR Congress workers in the distribution of cash to pensioners and others.
TDP grouse
“Volunteer system was suggested by poll strategist Prashant Kishor. They are a political army nurtured with state funds in the name of delivery of welfare schemes. They visit the household twice a day and warn the beneficiaries that they would not get the benefit if they do not vote for Jagan in the next election. Volunteers say they have computers to know whom they would vote. They are threatening even those who attend the meetings of the TDP. All beneficiaries are controlled by the volunteers in the name of welfare delivery,” said Kalva Srinivasulu, a former minister and TDP politburo member.
He stated that the elected sarpanch has been completely been marginalized. This was an attempt to connect beneficiaries to Jagan directly, removing the role of sarpanches and even MLAs in between, Kalva said.
Congress working president Dr Tulasi Reddy said Sarpanches had become useless sixth finger in Andhra Pradesh. “All YSRC cadres have been appointed as volunteers. They are working like party workers with government money to ensure that every beneficiary votes for Jagan,” he said.
Attempts by The Federal to reach out to officials in the Panchayat Raj department did not fructify. A YSR Congress leader said Sarpanches were being used by opposition parties to attack the chief minister.
“What do these 13,000 sarpanches do when three crores of beneficiaries are with us?” he asked on the condition of anonymity.