No Central fund flow to PR Dept.
Village panchayats in Telangana received a raw deal this year as the Centre blocked the fund flow to the State’s Panchayat Raj Department for the first two quarters ending this month-end. Reason? The State failed to account for expenditure for the last financial year.
As per the 14th Finance Commission recommendations, the State would have got Rs. 908 crore as the Central grants for disbursal to panchayats this year. In effect, the 8,778 panchayats should have received a total of Rs. 454 crore by now. But, not a rupee was received.
When the State government took up the matter with the Centre, it was told that there could be no relaxation in the norm to submit details of releases to each panchayat quarter-wise.
Even the dates of releases should be mentioned. The State pleaded that it would not be possible to furnish so much of information at this stage and that it be spared for this year. It is anybody’s guess if the Centre would accede.
Task cut out
for school inspectors
How often do parents feel sorry for their children when it came to the weight of the bags the little ones had to lug to school? Probably every time the parents help out the children into the school bus, auto or any other vehicle by handing them their bags.
Let’s hope a solution comes out of the week long inspection of schools taken up by Education Department till September 28.
Among the objectives of the drive are to find out the average weight of school bag, class-wise, in private schools.
That’s not all. When it comes to government schools, the 20 teams in each district also ascertain how many days a week children get eggs in their mid-day meal.
Also, the inspectors watch out with a keen eye and ear as to the quality of education where the medium of instruction is English. Achhe din ?
‘You are in queue, please wait!’
As the exercise for reorganisation of districts is reaching the concluding phase, efforts by IAS officers, particularly those belonging to non-cadre, have gained momentum with many of them queuing up to meet the Chief Secretary to present their case for bossing over new districts.
According to insiders, the representations of such officers were being given serial numbers indicating that “so many” officers have already opted for the same districts ahead of them.
“Such aspirants are also being told in no uncertain terms that it’s the Chief Minister who will take the final call and there’s no place for any favours since their capabilities and track record so far are being assessed by different agencies, including the Intelligence Wing of the State Police,” a senior officer said.
Self- compliments
Last week saw an important development in Telangana - AP relations as the Chief Ministers of both States met in New Delhi to thrash out river water disputes.
At the end of the meeting, the Telangana delegation complimented itself that it successfully rebutted the arguments of AP on a contentious issue and that the Centre was also convinced. Telangana Ministers and MPs showered praise on the Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. However, the ball is still in the court of the Centre.
(NIKHILA HENRY, SURESH KRISHNAMOORTHY,
B. CHANDRASHEKHAR & N. RAHUL)
