Zilla Parishads yet to hold debut general body meeting

Hyderabad: : Even nearly two months after their installation, the Zilla Parishads (ZPs) are yet to commence their activities as the general body meetings of the ZPs have to be conducted.

The chairpersons of the ZPs are yet to call for general body meetings and conduct the elections of the standing committees. In this month just one or two ZPs have completed the election of the standing committees. The ZPs have come into existence in July first week.

Though August is coming to an end there is no indication of conducting the general body meetings of many ZPs.

The Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency members are blaming the ZP chairpersons and the Ministers of the districts for negligence in holding the first general body meetings.

ZPTC of Maddur of Siddipet Zilla Parishad member G Kondal Reddy told The Hans India that the first general body of them has to be conducted. He said that as he was the only opposition member of 23 members strong Zilla Parishad, the chairperson has not been taking interest in holding the ZP general body meet.

Kondal Reddy said that upon continuous insistence of him, the officials have said that the elections of the standing committees would be held on 28 of this month. He said that the general body meeting would be held on the same day.

Kondal Reddy said that the functioning of the ZPs has become one man show in the Siddipet district as they have been controlled by the Ministers. He said that the Ministers have not been taking interest in holding the ZP meetings, making a mockery of the rural local bodies.

Situation is same in the other 31 ZPs of the State as their first general body meetings are yet to be conducted. The Chief Executive Officers and the chairpersons were busy with ruling party programmes.

In most of the Zilla Parishads, the CEO are drawn from other departments. They have been appointed as In-charge officers. As they do not belong to the Panchayat Raj department, the functioning of the ZPs has been derailed.

According to several ZPTCs there is no clarity on the funds to be given to the Zilla Parishads. The ZPTCs have to be provided with training on their duties and responsibilities.

A ZPTC alleged that they were unable to make even a representation to the officials as they were not available in the district headquarters. The administration in the district headquarters is yet to be streamlined.

They were made to run from one office to the other to meet the district level officials.

The ZPTCs said that they were unable to question the officials of various departments due to the delay in holding the general body meetings. The general body meetings would be attended by the officials of all the major departments like health, education, social welfare, irrigation and others.

They would provide a platform for the ZPTCs to raise questions on the issues involved in implementation of the government programmes and schemes, they said.