Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay on Thursday raised serious concerns over the alleged diversion of 15th Finance Commission funds released to gram panchayats by the Congress government in Telangana.
He expressed concern that the funds were being misused in violation of Finance Commission guidelines.
He also alleged that village sarpanches were being pressured to spend the money in ways that went against the prescribed rules.
Sanjay wrote to both the Central and state governments, seeking a full and impartial inquiry into the allegations.
He sent letters to Union Panchayati Raj Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, also known as Lalan Singh, and Telangana Panchayat Raj Minister Dhanasari Seethakka.
Sanjay had earlier written a similar letter to the Union minister, alleging that officials in Telangana were pressuring gram panchayat sarpanches to use the funds in violation of Finance Commission guidelines.
The following day, Panchayat Raj and Rural Employment Commissioner Divya Devarajan issued a press note stating that the allegations made in Bandi Sanjay’s letter were incorrect.
Sanjay brought to the attention of the Central and state ministers the complaints he had received from several sarpanches.
They reportedly alleged irregularities in the use of Finance Commission funds and claimed that officials were pressuring them to spend the money in violation of the rules.
He also attached documents to his letter, claiming that they showed the funds had been used in some gram panchayats in violation of Finance Commission guidelines.
Sanjay warned that any misuse of these funds could seriously affect village development and weaken the financial autonomy of gram panchayats.
He requested a fair and impartial inquiry into the complaints and supporting documents to establish the facts.
