Nearly a dozen village Panchayats in Haryana have moved to Punjab and Haryana High Court challenged state government decision to curtail Sarpanches power up to Rs 2 lakh for initiating development in the area instead of Rs 20 lakh earlier and developments of value over Rs 2 lakh conducted by e-tendering by the government in order to finish corruption as well as bring transparency. According to information High Court has issued notices to Additional Chief Secretary of Village Development & Panchayat Department as well as Chief Engineer to submit reply in view of state government issued orders on January 19, 2023, against which protests by Sarpanches all over in the state are going on and large number of incidents of clashed between the protesting Sarpanches and the police have been reported when protestors attempted to hold ‘dharna’ outside Deputy Commissioner offices close down BDPO offices and not allowed ministers and MLAs to enter the village. According to information, large numbers of protesting Sarpanches were arrested by the police at several places in the state, later released at a distant, deserted place.
While interacting media agitated Sarpanches opposing the government’s recent decision of curtailing spending powers of village councils by imposing new rules of e-tendering of developmental projects beyond Rs 2 lakh is an insult to to newly elected village heads by ruling BJP-JJP governmentin the state thus curtailing the spending powers of Sarpanches compelled them to launch a stir against the government and will continue till the decision is not rolled back by the government and ban the entry of ruling party leaders in their villages.The newly-elected village heads held a meeting at Fatehabad’s Tohana, the constituency being represented by development and panchayats minister Devender Babli and . The Sarpanches also demanded Rs 25,000 per month salary. Information reveals according to few protestors if the government does not consider their demands the Sarpanches will jointly submit resignation from their post. They said, we are elected representatives and the government shall refrain from undermining our abilities. They told that earlier in year 2015 during first tenure of BJP government in the had started e-tendering system and government had to roll back their decision when they challenged in High Court since it was against Panchayat Raj rules as such court directed state government to take back decision.
Sarpanches accused the government introduced e-tendering because the contractors offer commission to the concerned government officers as well as political leaders in the government and use poor quality material for developmental work. Defending the e-tendering process, Haryana Development and Panchayat Minister Devinder Babli while talking to media persons said, e-tendering system has been introduced by the state government after the recent Panchayat election in public interest. He added that these people are protesting only for their self-vested interest that is why they spend huge amount of money during Panchayat polls and when elected treat it a license to earn money, whereas state government is working on the basis of zero tolerance basis and e-tendering system has been introduce to finish corruption as well as misuse of funds and also bring transparency in the work not only in case of Sarpanches but in all government procurements in the state. Babli made an appeal to protestors not to play politics and indulge themselves for the welfare of people elected them.
Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar while talking to media persons said that in order to stop corruption and bring transparency in development works in the state Haryana government has started e-tendering system in all government sectors. Chief Minister said that e-tendering introduced in the state has brought good results to stop corruption since there are nearly 300 cases of complaints as regard procurements in which purchases were made from the contractors and suppliers through fake bills without receipt of material. He said that stern action has been taken against large number of corrupt government employees including senior officers in the state, some of them also lodged in jails and investigation by State Vigilance Bureau going on against several .
Khattar said, Sarpanches in Haryana are opposing e-tendering system to carry out developmental works in villages, claiming it has curtailed their powers but it is not as such, the work which used to be done manually earlier will now be done through a software, moreover the development works which used to remain pending for long time will be done in a time bound ways.
He said that power of Sarpanches has not been curtailed rather the government has given public representatives more power. He requested all Sarpanches to perform their duties with responsibility and cooperate with the government.
