Odisha: BJD to 'gherao' Assembly on Sep 23 over reduced powers of Panchayati Raj Institutions

Bhubaneswar, Sep 20 (IANS) The main opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday announced that it will stage a 'gherao' of the Odisha Assembly on September 23, accusing the state government of weakening the three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) by systematically curtailing the powers of elected representatives at the grassroots level.

Speaking at a press conference here, senior BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra alleged that the state government has reduced the budget for various social welfare programmes, including the Jal Jeevan Mission, PM Awas Yojana, and Antyodaya Awas Yojana, etc.

He also alleged that the labourers registered under the flagship Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) programme are getting their wages.

Mishra also stated that BJD will not remain a silent spectator and hold a protest against the conspiracy by BJP-led state government to destroy the three-tier Panchayati Raj systems in Odisha. He further informed that the powers of elected representatives at the grassroot level, such as Zila Parishad, Panchayat Samiti, and Gram Sabhas, are being curtailed by the state government.

Meanwhile, speaking to media persons, senior BJD leader Arun Kumar Sahoo accused the state government of continuously working to dismantle the three-tier Panchayati Raj system—Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti, and Gram Panchayat—over the past 15 months.

“An instruction, which had already received cabinet approval, was issued yesterday, curtailing the powers of chairpersons at the panchayat samiti (block) level. It vested the authority to clear projects up to Rs 10 lakh with Block Development Officers (BDOs), effectively reducing the chairpersons to mere rubber stamps. The Zilla Parishad Presidents have already become rubber stamps,” he alleged.

Sahoo further alleged that the Collectors and MLAs have also been given the power to change the projects passed in Gram Sabhas and Panchayats.

The senior BJD leader appealed to all elected representatives, including Sarpanchs, Samiti Sabhyas, Ward Members, and Zilla Parishad Members, in the three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions (Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti, and Gram Panchayat) across the state to unite and gherao the Odisha Assembly on September 23 in protest against the BJP-led state government, to save democracy.

--IANS

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