Govt order upsets Panchayat body
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 28 2012: Manipur State Panchayat Parishad has reportedly expressed resentment against a recent order by the Government of Manipur that curtails administrative powers of the local bodies.

Addressing a press conference at Manipur Panchayat Bhavan, Porompat today Parishad secretary general Th Bhubol Singh claimed that the order (Nov 5) issued by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj contravenes National guidelines of the Ministry of Rural Development with regard to implementation of NREGS.

Elaborating on the matter, Bhubol said the RD&PR order empowered Gram Panchayat Secretary and Programme officer/SDO/BDO as joint operators of account in respect of Gram Panchayat as the implementing agency of NREGS works while for works implemented by Zilla Parishad the Adhyaksha and Chief Executive Officer are the joint operators of similar financial dealings.

Such an order is against the National guidelines of the Ministry that clearly laid down that "each gram panchayat will have single bank account for the purpose of implementing NREGS works," he pointed out.

Quoting the Ministry guideline as saying: 'This NREGS account will be operated jointly by the pradhan and secretary of the Gram Panchayat', he questioned to what extent a State Government order can override or go against the national guideline while the scheme (NREGS) itself is a national scheme.

While all stakeholders are equally responsible for the uneasy situation, why only pradhans and members of Zilla Parishad deliberately ignored, Bhubol asked while terming the RD&PR order as unfair and uncalled for.

Further insisting that the said order needs to be rectified, the secretary general urged the Chief Minister to intervene and restore the earlier power and status of members of Zilla Parishads and Pradhans in respect of maintenance of MGNREGS funds.

With regard to the same order entrusting additional charge of Assistant Programme officer to BDO concerned, he said such a move will dilute responsibility of BDOs who otherwise are well versed with the Panchayati Raj institutions.

There is also apprehension on whether the BDO concerned could function effectively in implementing NREGS works after assigning magisterial power on top of the individual BDO's financial (revenue) obligations, Bhubol said while opining that BDOs functioning as programme officers would amount to demoralising them as the post are inferior liabilities.

on the said order of the RD&PR appointing programme officer and panchayat secretary as the joint account operators for scheme works implemented by Gram Panchayat, he suspected the move to a fallout of instigation by some bureaucrats as the State Cabinet is unlikely to recommend such a change.

Bhubol also claimed vagueness in the order's Para 6 (VI) which stated that scheme implementing agency should encash material component fund to the supplier's account.

Cautioning that Government of Manipur against transforming NREGS works into contract works, he said such a move would eventually lead to misuse of huge amount of funds actually provided by the Central Government for development of rural areas.

Parishad president Toijam Itobi, who was also present at the media briefing, informed that a memorandum highlighting opposition of the Parishad against the RD&PR order with detailed reference to the national guidelines was submitted to the Chief Minister on November 21 but a response from the latter is being awaited as he (CM) is out of station.

Describing the order as unfortunate, Itobi urged the State authorities to uphold sanctity of panchayati institutions and restore administrative as well as financial powers to the duly elected members for effective implementation of development works at the grassroots level.

In case the Parishad memorandum fails to evoke positive response, the Ministry of Rural Development would be intimated for necessary measures, he added.

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