The ZPTC Members’ State Forum of Telangana, comprising members from all parties including the ruling TRS, have accused the State and Central governments of usurping their powers guaranteed through the 73{+r}{+d}and 74{+t}{+h}amendments to the Constitution by enabling MPs and MLAs have better say even at the zilla parishad and mandal parishad level.
President of the forum Koyyala Emaji, general secretary M. Prabhakar Reddy and others alleged that the Centre was violating their rights with its decision to release MGNREGS funds directly to gram panchayats and the State government was trying to override their powers guaranteed by the Constitution in the name of Grama Jyothi programme.
The State government was allowing the legislators to decide sanction of even the funds pertaining to programmes such as rural roads maintenance (RRM), special development fund (SDF) and others were being, they said addressing a press conference here on Friday after the executive committee meeting of the forum. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had announced enhancement of their honorarium from Rs. 2,250 per month to Rs.10,000 but it was not being paid to them for the last five months, they noted.
Stating that about one-third of budget allocations were being spent through zilla parishads in Kerala, they demanded that the State government sanction at least Rs. 100 crore funds to every zilla parishad for taking up developmental works decided by the bodies. Further, they requested sanction of vehicle allowance of Rs. 25,000 every month and a chamberin mandal parishad offices.The ZPTCs’ forum was planning to organised protests in front of zilla parishads across the State on September 29 and Chalo Assembly programme with a dharna at Indira Park on September 24 in support of their demands. On the forthcoming MLC elections in the local bodies’ quota, Mr. Emaji and others alleged that “all parties are denying an opportunity to ZPTC members to enter the Legislative Council for the sake of money”.
