Why not a salary hike for panchayat members?

13

By: Lawan Thakur

Member of Parliament Lalu Yadav appears reasonable when he says that MPs should be paid one rupee more that the cabinet secretary. While he is going by the government protocol on hierarchy to justify his demand, the logic can be extended up to panchayat level, for which there is a greater need if democracy is to be further strengthen in this country.

While the Himachal Pradesh government has been quick to increase pension benefits of former MLAs, I firmly believe that the local bodies’ members (panchayat members and member to municipal bodies) too should also be suitably paid, at least at par with the panchayat secretaries of panchayats and executive officers of municipal bodies. In present day scenario, each panchayat is spending between Rs 70 lakh to Rs 15 crore in one year under NREGA and various other schemes. The pradhan and the elected members are the agencies which are totally involved in planning, supervising, and executing the works in their area. The pradhan is supposed to be on job every time. He has visitors to meet him; he himself has to visit various offices and to attend various government programmes being performed/executed in his panchayat; to hold courts to resolve disputes and so on. His duties are thus endless. But we pay almost nothing to him. This situation should change.

Being a public figure, he or she needs to entertain people who come to meet them. Take for example a simple necessity of offering tea to anyone who visits a pradhan. I am sure a pradhan is not paid a monthly salary enough to support even 50 cups of tea every day. And if he is not courteous, he fears losing goodwill, so looking for alternative means of funding the hospitality is natural. Paying panchayat functionaries well may thus help in curbing the deep-rooted corruption in rural development as even people with professional abilities may opt for grassroots politics.

A recent survey by a government agency highlighting that around 80% of pradhans in the state indulge in corruption, should be reason enough to work out accountability measures, for which settling of salary of the panches, pradhans and other panchayat functionaries can be the first step.

If the institution of Panchayati Raj is to be strengthened, there is need to infuse confidence and sense of duty among people who participate in grassroots democracy. And this confidence will come only when the government shows confidence in the institution, which in turn is possible if panchayat functionaries get the freedom to work without distractions.

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13 COMMENTS

  1.  Very good idea. But what to do because  the panchayats  are  themselves not empowered to enhance salaries of its members/pradhan like our 'honourables'.

    • Dear Amar, This legislation has to be made by the Parliament, irself. It is the matter of empowering the Panchyati Raj Institution and other Grass root institution like Municipal council, Corporations, Panchyat samities and zila parishad. Economic freedom is a must to give some status to the post. These elected members are always at the mercy of the officials working in his/hers institutions. We are talking in terms of empowering the pradhans to write the CRs of the employess working in the panchyat. He acts as a surveyer, ombudsman, and even a worker but being paid peanuts.

      • i dont agree with the rubbish idea,  curb the the corruption first if you say around 80% of pradhans in the state indulge in corruption,select the experienced and retired govt officials so that they can further serve the Panchayat well,not making the money like unemployed youth.Now a days when MNREGA has flushed money,every youth aspires to be pradhan of the Panchayat.

  2.  Very good idea. But what to do because  the panchayats  are  themselves not empowered to enhance salaries of its members/pradhan like our 'honourables'.

    • Dear Amar, This legislation has to be made by the Parliament, irself. It is the matter of empowering the Panchyati Raj Institution and other Grass root institution like Municipal council, Corporations, Panchyat samities and zila parishad. Economic freedom is a must to give some status to the post. These elected members are always at the mercy of the officials working in his/hers institutions. We are talking in terms of empowering the pradhans to write the CRs of the employess working in the panchyat. He acts as a surveyer, ombudsman, and even a worker but being paid peanuts.

    • But something needs to be done to initiate a process to empower panchayat members. A friend recently told me that in Mandi pradhans are nown as panchayat secretary’s jhola (bag) carriers. THis can be quite damaging for grassroots democracy. People should speak up to raise the issue.

    • But something needs to be done to initiate a process to empower panchayat members. A friend recently told me that in Mandi pradhans are nown as panchayat secretary’s jhola (bag) carriers. THis can be quite damaging for grassroots democracy. People should speak up to raise the issue.

  3. It is always the topmost class that always keeps the lion's share for themselves,whether it be civil services,judiciary and the legislature. The people at 'the cutting edge'level are always marginalised.The situation is like 'Andha bante rewari…..' Empowerment of PRIs to strngthen grassroot democracy are merely rhetorics.

  4. It is always the topmost class that always keeps the lion's share for themselves,whether it be civil services,judiciary and the legislature. The people at 'the cutting edge'level are always marginalised.The situation is like 'Andha bante rewari…..' Empowerment of PRIs to strngthen grassroot democracy are merely rhetorics.

  5. Lawan has got a point when he says that Pradhans should get enhanced benefits. Same should apply for ward panches to some extent. However, since the people within the system have come to accepting corruption , it cannot be wished away merely by increasing the legitimate monetary benefits. There need to be transparent systems of decision making (starting at the Panchayat ward level) regarding grassroots planning and its execution. Financial transparency is also imperative. Without such systems, nothing would dissuade the corrupt to resort to anything to win an election, of a panchayat or otherwise. But whom are we expecting to deliver these reforms? The same people who would rather have a handle on the elected representatives through the BDO and PO DRDA (who disburse the money) so that even well meaning-ed elected reps. do not come in the way of the 'progress' of politicians and the bureaucracy.

  6. Lawan has got a point when he says that Pradhans should get enhanced benefits. Same should apply for ward panches to some extent. However, since the people within the system have come to accepting corruption , it cannot be wished away merely by increasing the legitimate monetary benefits. There need to be transparent systems of decision making (starting at the Panchayat ward level) regarding grassroots planning and its execution. Financial transparency is also imperative. Without such systems, nothing would dissuade the corrupt to resort to anything to win an election, of a panchayat or otherwise. But whom are we expecting to deliver these reforms? The same people who would rather have a handle on the elected representatives through the BDO and PO DRDA (who disburse the money) so that even well meaning-ed elected reps. do not come in the way of the 'progress' of politicians and the bureaucracy.

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