Panchayat members not paid honorarium for 14 months

Tribune News Service

Karnal, November 8

Despite tall claims of the state government of not facing a fund crunch, representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), including sarpanches, panches and members of panchayat samiti, are waiting for their honorarium for the past 14 months.

Sarpanches and panches alleged that they had to run from pillar to post to get their honorarium. They alleged that they were informed that no budget has been released for them.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had hiked the honorarium of sarpanches and panches to Rs 3,000 from Rs 2,000; and to Rs 1,000 from Rs 600, respectively. The honorarium of members of panchayat samiti was increased to Rs 1,600 from Rs 1,250 per month, of vice-chairperson of panchayat samiti to Rs 3,500 from Rs 2,500, of chairman of panchayat samiti to Rs 7,500 from Rs 6,000.

Sources in the PRIs say nearly 380 sarpanches, 4,000 panches, around 170 members of panchayat samiti, six chairpersons and six vice-chairpersons of panchayat samiti have not received their honorarium since August 2017.

Rajesh Chaudhary, sarpanch of Karsa Dod village, said that no honorarium has been given to them for the past 14 months.

Amardeep Singh, sarpanch of Sidhpur village, said that they have been running from pillar to post to get their honorarium, but they were told that no budget has been allotted for them.

A woman panch said that the authorities have made the mockery of the honorarium. It should be transferred to the bank accounts on time.

Kulbhushan Bansal, District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO), admitted that due to non-availability of budget, the honorarium has not been given to them since August 2017.

“We have now received a budget of around Rs 6.77 crore that will clear their honorarium till August 2018. We will transfer it this week to their accounts,” he added.