To mollify sarpanches, govt’s U-turn on e-panchayat system

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, April 12

To mollify agitating sarpanches, the Haryana Government seems to have taken a U-turn on implementing the e-panchayat system in the state.

In a significant climb down from its stance, the Development and the Panchayats Department on Wednesday issued an order to Deputy Commissioners on the release of payments to sarpanches.

“The government has decided that bank accounts of gram panchayats will not be sealed and payment from banks will be released without PRIASoft-generated vouchers,” says an order of the nodal officer (e-panchayat).

The DCs should ask banks to roll back instructions on releasing payments to sarpanches against PRIASoft-generated vouchers, the order read.

PRIASoft is a software aimed at keeping track of in-flow (receipts) and out-flow (expenditure) of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). The application facilitates better financial management of the PRIs by bringing about transparency and accountability in the maintenance of accounts, leading to better credibility.

Sarpanches are on the warpath with the state government against the implementation of the e-panchayat system, asking the Manohar Lal Khattar dispensation of first providing them with computers, data entry operators and internet connection.

The stand-off between the sarpanches and the BJP government was exploited by the Congress and the INLD, which alleged the state government was being “indifferent” to elected representatives.

Following a meeting with elected representatives last week, Development and Panchayat Minister Om Prakash Dhankar had announced several incentives for sarpanches, including tablets, services of data entry operators, withdrawal of funds against self-cheques for disbursing payment to labourers and an increase in the cash-in-hand limit for panchayats to Rs 25,000.