5,228 panchayats lack own income, Punjab Govt tells HC

Gram panchayats, numbering 5,228 in the state, have no income of their own. This was stated in the compliance report filed by Rural Development and Panchayats Director of Uma Shanker Gupta on behalf of the state before the High Court here.

Gupta submitted an affidavit in a contempt case related to the non-payment of the honorarium to the sarpanches and panches in the state.

Honorarium liability Rs 76 cr

Gupta said in the affidavit the Finance Department had sought information for calculating year-wise pendency of the honorarium amount, and the total liability of such honorarium from the year 2013 to 2024 turned up to Rs 76 crore.

Gupta said out of the 13,236 gram panchayats, 8,008 had the annual income of Rs 2 lakh per annum and 5,228 panchayat had no income of their own. As per information received from field, 4,015 gram panchayats had paid the honorarium from their income.

For the payment of by the remaining 3,993 gram panchayats, a demi-official (DO) letter, dated November 7, had been issued to the respective Additional Deputy Commissioners (Development), District Development and Panchayat Officers and Block Development and Panchayat Officers for the payment of the same and information had been sought regarding the same.

A DO letter, dated October 24, was issued by the Administrative Secretary of this Department to the Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department, for the allotment of Rs 76 crore funds to the department before November 13 so that the payment of the honorarium could be made to the beneficiaries.

Justice Pankaj Jain in the order said in view of the affidavit, no further orders were required to be passed in the present contempt petition and the matter was disposed of.