Littering on roads to attract penality : Panchayat Raj Committee

Hyderabad: The Cabinet Sub-Committee on new Panchayat Raj Act widely discussed to include a provision in the proposed new Act to fine villagers if they fail to follow sanitation norms and litter on the roads.

On the fourth consecutive day, the committee led by Panchayat Raj Minister Jupally Krishna met here on Thursday and sought opinions from senior IAS officers Narsingh Rao, Smitha Sabarwal, Vikas Raj, Neetu Kumari, Additional Advocate General Ramchander Rao and Law secretary Niranjan Rao.

The committee felt that villagers should be made responsible for littering on roads and encroachments of public roads and others. People who did not follow such 22 norms would be fined and the quantum of fine would be decided by the village administration. It also felt that if any one resorted to illegal constructions and encroachments, they should be made responsible for the demolition of the structure besides paying fine.

Discussing auditing delay in gram panchayats, the sub-committee suggested that the time span of nine months for the auditing after completion of the financial year should be brought down. Director for Auditing Venkateshwar Rao suggested a few steps for reducing the auditing delay in GPs.

The members also suggested that details of expenditure and collection of taxes should be uploaded online on daily basis and it should be included in the new PR Act.

“A special computer operator will be recruited to oversee these online updates,” Committee opined.

Committee also discussed constituting an Appellate Authority Tribunal over the District Collector on taking a final call on disciplinary actions against sarpanches.

Another key point the committee focused was giving free hand to governing body to surrender village secretary to the government in case they failed to deliver duties accordingly.