Centre, State weakening local bodies: Sridhar babu
MLA Duddilla Sridhar Babu speaking to the media at Manthani on Monday.
Peddapalli: AICC Secretary and Manthani MLA Duddilla Sridhar Babu alleged that the Central and State governments are systematically working to weaken local bodies by not allocating funds to Gram Panchayats, Mandal Parishads and Zilla Parishads.
In a democracy, anyone should protest against the government's failures. Since the formation of the Telangana state, the government was running a system of detention, which has never been seen in the previous government's tenure, he said.
Speaking to the media at Manthani on Monday he said the government did not allow dharnas and protests at Indira Park and released a GO. But the people were given permission to stage dharnas after the High Court verdict allowed protests at Indira Park, he said.
After the creation of separate Telangana the BRS government was oppressing opposition voice. A forum of all sarpanches in the state brought their problems to the notice of the government but the problems were not resolved.
Telangana government was diluting the rights of village sarpanchs through the new Panchayat Raj GO. The government refused permission to Congress stage dharna and the party condemns the manner in which Sarpanchs were arrested everywhere when they come for dharna. A total of Rs 1,250 crore was due from State finance to gram panchayats since four months and Rs 35,000 crore coming to gram panchayats from 15th finance commission was diverted by the State government, Sridhar Babu complained.
Gram panchayat sarpanch were facing difficulties due to lack of funds for other works done in Palle Prakriti Vanam. The government has taken away the powers of the Sarpanch and put it in the hands of the officers.
Many gram panchayats were struggling financially, they should be given funds and supported. It is not a proper way to arrest the sarpanches who were going on dharna. The Congress party strongly condemns this.
Legally, the DMF funds due to Peddapelli and Bhupalapally districts are being diverted from the CM's office to other districts and the local institutions are being weakened, Sridhar alleged.