Sarpanches to be paid from income of panchayats

With the government facing a fund-crunch, the Rural Development and Panchayat Department has decided that the sarpanches will get the honorarium from the panchayat’s own income.

As many as 5,228 gram panchayats in the state have no source of income.

The sarpanches of these panchayats are still looking at the government for getting their promised honorarium. Since the petition by former sarpanches, seeking release of honorarium for a period between 2013 and 2023 (Rs 1,200 per month then), is pending before the Punjab and Haryana Court, the government has asked the sarpanches of panchayats having no income of their own to be paid from the block committees.

There are 13,238 gram panchayats in Punjab. In April, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had announced an increase in the honorarium of sarpanches from Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,000.