Bhubaneswar, Sept 19: Sarpanches in Odisha will stage cease work agitation from September 22 against excessive interference of government officials, mainly Block Development Officers (BDOs) in Panchayatiraj department works, obstructing the powers of the elected representatives.
The powers of Sarpanches have been heavily curtailed. Countersignature by the BDO has been made mandatory for every developmental work in Panchayat. We demand our previous rights as Sarpanches. If the government does not consider our demands, we will sit on an indefinite cease work protest from September 22 in front of the Assembly, said State Sarpanch Federation’s President, Romancha Sahu.
The Sarpanches alleged that the BDOs in blocks are obstructing their rights and powers.
The Sarpanchs get only Rs 2350 a month while other public representatives get lakhs of Rupees as allowances. We demand a hike in allowance to Rs 30,000 per month, health insurance, and a Sarpanch fund for natural calamities, added Sahu.
