HYDERABAD: Telangana Cabinet has decided to bring a new Panchayat Raj Act soon for effective functioning of gram panchayats in the state.
In a marathon 8-hour Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao at Pragathi Bhavan here last night. the Cabinet decided to strengthen the gram panchayats by bringing in a new legislation as well as holding elections s within the stipulated time frame immediately after the new Panchayat Raj act was passed by the Assembly likely in the winter session begining from October 27.
The newly formed panchayats will function as per the provisions of the new act.
The Cabinet left the onus of preparing the new Panchayat Raj Act to Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao who will consult legal experts and officials with expertise in rural development to draft the new legislation. As announced earlier by the Chief Minister, the Cabinet also decided to upgrade all the tribal hamlets including Koyagudems, Gondugudems and Chenchupalles into gram panchayats, while villages and hamlets in plain areas which are located in remote areas will also be upgraded into special gram panchayats.
These decisions will be part of the new legislation proposed by the State government, official sources said.
The Cabinet, which discussed various bills proposed to be introduced in the winter session, also discussed about 65 issues pertaining to approval of bills, sanction of new posts in various departments, approval of loans for Mission Bhagiratha, land records rectification and among others.
The Cabinet approved Bills pertaining to amendments to TS Rights in Lands and Pattadar Passbooks Act, Preventive Detention Act, Gaming Act, VAT Act, Shops and Establishments Act, TS Excise Act and also for establishment of Road Development Corporation.
The Cabinet also deliberated on issues to be discussed, Strategies and ordinances to be introduced in the Assembly.
The Chief Minister reiterated that all the Ministers and officials concerned should be fully geared up for the session with complete information pertaining to government programmes to give a befitting reply to questions raised by the Opposition benches.
He wanted the Ministers to ensure that the ruling party legislators attend the session without fail and use it as a platform to inform people about the novel initiatives of the State government.
At the end of the meeting, Mr Rao announced an action plan for mobilization of funds to develop villages.
The State government will allocate funds for village development on the basis of population. Similarly, funds sanctioned under MGNREGS will be used for welfare and development projects in villages.
It has been decided to use funds collected through taxes and Finance Commission to the optimum level.
The Chief Minister suggested that a few works should be taken up through philanthropic and voluntary programmes besides encouraging major industries and organizations to take up philanthropic work under Corporate Social Responsibility.
The State Government will facilitate collection of funds through donations and other activities.
“The new legislation should specify both funds and duties of the gram panchayats and it will also empower the State government to take action against panchayats which fail to discharge their duties, the Chief Minister reportedly told the Cabinet colleagues who approved his suggestion.
The Chief Minister has constituted a Cabinet sub-committee led by Roads and Buildings Minister Tummala Nageshwara Rao to suggest measures for prevention of road accidents.
He also constituted another Cabinet sub-committee under the chairmanship of Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy to study and recommend best measures to ensure Minimum Support Price for crops in coordination with Farmers Associations Coordination Committees by effectively using the existing system in the Agriculture department. (AGENCIES)
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