MP urged to take up local bodies' issues with Centre
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By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 14: The Ad-hoc Committee of All Manipur Elected PRI of 2017 has appealed to Lok Sabha MP Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam to take up the issue of local bodies in Manipur with the Union Minister of Panchayati Raj.
Members of the committee today submitted a memorandum to the MP at the latter’s residence and highlighted the plight of the rural local bodies of Manipur namely; Gram Panchayats and Zilla Parishads.
According to the memorandum, tenure of the representatives elected in the 5th Panchayat Election 2017 ended in October 2022 but the Panchayat elections have not been held in Manipur for the past 23 months, thereby violating the provisions of the Constitution of India and the Manipur Panchayati Raj Act 1994 (and Amendment Act of 1996).
It mentioned the unlawful formation of Administrative Committees of Zilla Parishads
and Gram Panchayats by the State Government.
In Manipur, 25 per cent share of the total mandays guaranteed under MGNREGS is implemented by the line department (commonly known as LD share) through local MLAs.
Such allocation of work share to MLAs is not seen anywhere in other parts of the country. This is an instance of undue intervention in the works of rural local bodies by the MLAs, the committee asserted.
The memorandum said that there is no smooth fund flow.
Inadequacy of funds leads to failure of the projects meant for rural areas and State Finance Commission awards for Gram Panchayats and Zilla Parishads are also very meagre as compared to other States of India.
Moreover, frequent lapses of funds are reported in Manipur due to inordinate delay in releasing the funds by the State Government.
In addition, Central Finance Commission funds are also not released on time due to the State Government’s failure to submit utilisation certificates, it said.
Even after the Manipur Panchayati Raj Act 2023 (8th Amendment) which provides for establishment of intermediate Panchayat or Panchayat Samitis was published in gazette notification on February 22, 2023, the State Government has not been implementing the Act till date, it pointed out.
The memorandum also expressed strong resentment against RD&PR Minister Yumnam Khemchand’s alleged refusal to meet members of the ad-hoc committee and denial of appointment on three occasions.
IMPHAL, Oct 14: The Ad-hoc Committee of All Manipur Elected PRI of 2017 has appealed to Lok Sabha MP Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam to take up the issue of local bodies in Manipur with the Union Minister of Panchayati Raj.
Members of the committee today submitted a memorandum to the MP at the latter’s residence and highlighted the plight of the rural local bodies of Manipur namely; Gram Panchayats and Zilla Parishads.
According to the memorandum, tenure of the representatives elected in the 5th Panchayat Election 2017 ended in October 2022 but the Panchayat elections have not been held in Manipur for the past 23 months, thereby violating the provisions of the Constitution of India and the Manipur Panchayati Raj Act 1994 (and Amendment Act of 1996).
It mentioned the unlawful formation of Administrative Committees of Zilla Parishads
and Gram Panchayats by the State Government.
In Manipur, 25 per cent share of the total mandays guaranteed under MGNREGS is implemented by the line department (commonly known as LD share) through local MLAs.
Such allocation of work share to MLAs is not seen anywhere in other parts of the country. This is an instance of undue intervention in the works of rural local bodies by the MLAs, the committee asserted.
The memorandum said that there is no smooth fund flow.
Inadequacy of funds leads to failure of the projects meant for rural areas and State Finance Commission awards for Gram Panchayats and Zilla Parishads are also very meagre as compared to other States of India.
Moreover, frequent lapses of funds are reported in Manipur due to inordinate delay in releasing the funds by the State Government.
In addition, Central Finance Commission funds are also not released on time due to the State Government’s failure to submit utilisation certificates, it said.
Even after the Manipur Panchayati Raj Act 2023 (8th Amendment) which provides for establishment of intermediate Panchayat or Panchayat Samitis was published in gazette notification on February 22, 2023, the State Government has not been implementing the Act till date, it pointed out.
The memorandum also expressed strong resentment against RD&PR Minister Yumnam Khemchand’s alleged refusal to meet members of the ad-hoc committee and denial of appointment on three occasions.